MP Mbai wants timelines for determination of court cases on gov’t policies introduced

Kitui East Member of Parliament Nimrod Mbai wants timelines for the determination of court cases involving government policies introduced to tame what he describes as delays in service delivery and loss of public resources.

According to Mbai’s parliamentary bill which is due for tabling after the ongoing recess, there ought to be set timelines akin to presidential election petitions.

Mbai says the absence of set timelines was affecting the delivery of any sitting president since they require only five years to initiate and implement their key agendas.

“Policies that are made towards serving the public should not take an eternity in the courts, that is the scenario we are facing now.  We need these timelines because matters being dragged in court by two or three people even if it was their democratic right should not be allowed to disadvantage the public” Mbai submits.

“Implementing for instance Finance Bill 2023/2024 is a challenge. And at the same time, it is in the same budget that facilitates our security sector such as the police, Military and even NG-CDF and capitation for our school-going children.”

The bill seeks to fix a maximum of 14 days for hearing and determination of any case touching on both county and national government policies. 

Mbai has also proposed the establishment of a special court that will exclusively be hearing and determining matters on public policies.

Mbai’s move comes at a time when the Judiciary has been on the receiving end from President William Ruto over alleged sabotage of government initiatives by ‘corrupt judicial’ officers.

On Tuesday last week, Ruto said unnamed judges were working with his critics deliberately to delay key government initiatives such as the housing levy and the Social Health Insurance (SHIF) Bill.