By Janet Nyanchoka
The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC) is intensively deliberating on the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2025/2026.
Members of the committee have spent several days in Mombasa, and have, among other things already focused on agencies falling under the Governance, Justice, Law, and Order Sector (GJLOS).
They also engaged with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Their retreat aims to assess budget proposals, monitor previous budget allocations, and review the performance of institutions under the GJLOS framework.
This includes departments such as the Judiciary, Office of the Attorney General, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
A crucial part of the deliberations involved receiving progress reports from the IEBC.
The commission briefed JLAC on its level of preparedness for the 2027 General Elections, touching on voter registration, electoral reforms, and logistical requirements.
The committee emphasized the importance of timely and adequate funding to ensure credible, transparent, and efficient elections.
Effectiveness
During the session with the EACC, Stephen Mogaka (West Mugirango MP), who is a member of the committee poked holes in the commission’s effectiveness and responsiveness.
He asked whether the EACC was truly useful to Kenyans in combating corruption, and what exactly triggers its action to a crime scene.
Mogaka wondered why the commission was not taking action despite persistent illegalities in Nyamira, which have paralysed normal operations at the County Assembly.
In the session with the IEBC, Mogaka sought clarity on the budget for pending by-elections and the Commission’s preparedness for onboarding a new team.
He also sought to know the status of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits, and whether the Commission had plans to renew software licenses for both existing and new hardware.
Review
Chairperson George Murugara led the team through the sessions, noting that the committee’s oversight role is crucial in ensuring that justice and governance institutions are adequately resourced to fulfill their mandates.
The legislators also reviewed challenges facing the sector, including backlog of cases in courts, human rights violations, and corruption.
They sought to link budget allocations to improved service delivery and institutional reforms.
The committee is expected to table its findings and recommendations before the Budget and Appropriations Committee of the National Assembly ahead of the June budget reading.
Their retreat marks a critical step in aligning budgetary priorities with the country’s justice and governance agenda.
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