President William Ruto has assented to the Judges’ Retirement Benefits Bill, 2025, marking a historic step toward strengthening the welfare and independence of Kenya’s Judiciary.

The legislation, sponsored in the National Assembly of Kenya by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, establishes a modern framework to provide pensions and other retirement benefits for judges serving in the country’s superior courts. For decades, judges were the only State officers still relying on the outdated Pensions Act of 1946, even as other public servants and constitutional office holders received updated retirement schemes.

The new law addresses a reform effort that has been under discussion for more than 30 years. Several commissions and task forces had previously recommended the creation of a dedicated retirement benefits framework for judges, including the Kotut Report of 1992, the Justice Kwach Report of 1998, and the Justice Bosire Task Force Report of 2007, among others. However, those proposals had remained largely unimplemented until now.

The Bill’s development was spearheaded by an inter-ministerial task force established by the Judiciary and chaired under the guidance of Chief Justice Martha Koome. The task force brought together representatives from the Judiciary, the National Treasury, the Directorate of Pensions, and the Office of the Attorney-General to craft a comprehensive retirement benefits structure tailored to judicial service.

Cabinet approved the introduction of the Bill in March 2025, paving the way for its formal consideration in Parliament. Lawmakers in the National Assembly debated and passed the Bill with amendments on February 25, 2025, in accordance with Article 109(3) of the Constitution.

The new law is expected to enhance the security and dignity of judges after retirement, aligning their benefits with those of other State officers and bringing Kenya’s judicial welfare framework in line with modern governance standards.