THE KENYA JUDICIARY ACADEMY BILL, 2025
Status Timeline
Proposed
Active now
Public Review
Pending
Debate
Pending
Executive
Pending
Final
Pending
Establishment of the Academy as a Body Corporate
Under Section 4, the Academy is formally established as a corporate body with perpetual succession and a common seal. It is empowered to enter into contracts, acquire and hold property, borrow money, and establish campuses across different counties, with its headquarters situated in Nairobi.
Composition of the Board of Directors
Under Section 6, the administration of the Academy is vested in a Board of Directors, which includes:
- A Chairperson appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) from among its members;
- The Chief Registrar of the Judiciary;
- Representatives from judicial associations, judicial staff, public and private university law faculties, and the Law Society of Kenya;
- The Secretary to the Council of Legal Education; and
- The Director General of the Academy as a non-voting member.
Executive Leadership Requirements
The Bill introduces clear roles and terms for executive officers:
- Director General (Section 10): Must be a Judge of a Superior Court appointed by the Board to serve a non-renewable five-year term.
- Registrar (Section 11): Must be an advocate of the High Court of Kenya eligible for appointment as a High Court Judge, or have at least 10 years of experience as a magistrate or legal academic. The Registrar acts as the accounting officer and serves a five-year term, renewable once.
Full Asset and Staff Transition
Under Section 20, all rights, obligations, assets, liabilities, and agreements of the existing non-statutory Academy are automatically transferred to the newly corporate Academy. Pending legal proceedings remain uninterrupted, and current staff will transition to the new entity under their existing terms of service.
Bill No.
No. 42 of 2025
Gazette No.
Supplement No. 145 of 2025
Sponsor
George Gitonga Murugara
Background
The Kenya Judiciary Academy Bill, 2025 is a legislative proposal received from the Judiciary and introduced to Parliament by the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. The primary objective of the Bill is to give statutory effect to Article 172(1)(d) of the Constitution of Kenya, which mandates the Judicial Service Commission to promote gender equality and facilitate the continuous education and training of judges and judicial officers. The Bill transitions the existing judicial training apparatus into a formal, structured body corporate.
Key Amendments
- Establishment of the Academy (Section 4): Establishes the Kenya Judiciary Academy as a body corporate with the legal capacity to contract, acquire land, borrow funds, and set up campuses outside Nairobi.
- Functions (Section 5): Designates the Academy as the principal institution for preparing and implementing induction, orientation, and continuing education programs for judges, judicial officers, and judicial staff.
New Obligations and Governance
- Governing Board (Section 6): Establishes a diverse governing board representing various stakeholders in Kenya's legal and educational sectors. Non-JSC board members are appointed for a term of three years, renewable once.
- Executive Appointments (Sections 10 and 11): Mandates the appointment of a Superior Court Judge as Director General to provide strategic leadership, and an advocate of at least 10 years' standing as the Registrar to handle the day-to-day operations and serve as the accounting officer.
- Financial Management (Sections 13–15): Requires the Academy to manage its funds (consisting of allocations from the JSC, the Judiciary Fund, and grants) through dedicated bank accounts, submit annual budget estimates three months before the start of each financial year, and align its operations with a financial year ending on the 30th of June.
Transitional Provisions
- Transfer of Assets and Staff (Section 20): Guarantees a seamless transition from the former non-statutory Academy. All existing assets, liabilities, ongoing legal proceedings, contracts, and staff members are transferred directly to the new statutory entity upon the commencement of the Act.
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