Tobiko emphasised that the ODPP requires emergency measures to recruit at least 300 prosecution counsels to service the existing judicial capacity/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 – The Treasury has approved the hiring of 106 prosecutors and 77 non-legal staff to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) at a cost of Sh167.4 million.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko wrote to the Treasury seeking approval to recruit new staff, citing that the ODPP was experiencing a serious shortage which has negatively affected the delivery of services to the public.
“The situation has been aggravated by the rapid expansion of the Judiciary,” he said.
“This expansion of the Judiciary has not been matched with a corresponding expansion in the prosecution service,” he added.
Tobiko emphasised that the ODPP requires emergency measures to recruit at least 300 prosecution counsels to service the existing judicial capacity.
“The authorised establishment for the ODPP is 927 legal staff and 370 non-legal staff while the in post is 83 legal staff and 188 non-legal staff,” Tobiko’s letter said.
Therefore, there is a shortage of 844 legal staff and 182 non-legal staff.
The ODPP requested for Sh939 million in the 2012/2013 budget to cater for those in service and the recruitment of key personnel, but only Sh447 million was allocated and over half of that figure will be used to pay salaries and allowances for the existing employees and those being recruited.
This left Sh167,441,781.80 for recruitment of additional staff and Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Finance Joseph Kinyua approved the request, noting that the number of personnel the ODPP intends to recruit is commensurate with their budgetary provision.
Despite getting approved to commence the recruitment, Tobiko emphasised that the approved figures would not be enough.
“I should however hasten to add that this number would still be inadequate to meet our present need, but we shall continue to push for allocation of additional funds,” he stated.
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