President William Ruto has publicly fired salvos at the judiciary and the judges.
For instance, speaking in Soy, Uasin Gishu County on Sunday, January 7, the president accused unnamed judges of corruption.
Ruto said some judges were working with the opposition to delay key government projects like a housing fund and universal healthcare initiatives.
“It is not possible that we respect the judiciary while a few individuals who are beneficiaries of corruption are using corrupt judicial officials to block our development projects,” Ruto said.
However, Chief Justice Martha Koome on Friday, January 12, challenged the Head of State to come clean on his allegations.
Speaking at the farewell ceremony of former Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi, the CJ asked President William Ruto and his allies, to file complaints against any judge or judicial officer and allow the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to process them.
“Such complaints must be lodged and processed in the manner prescribed by the Constitution. The Commission will only act based on evidence and not on blanket statements or allegations that have not been substantiated,
“Doing otherwise will mean an overthrow of the Constitution and the rule of law. That the Commission will not do!” She warned.
Koome who dismissed ODM leader Raila Odinga’s presidential petition asked members of the judicial service commission not to be distracted by threats emanating from critics.
She asked them to discharge their mandate fully and as per their oath of office warning that anyone who will be implicated in corruption will face the full force of the law.
“I urge all judges and judicial staff to continue discharging their duties per their oath of office,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Members of the Law Society of Kenya staged peaceful protests in front of President William Ruto’s office over his alleged corruption in the judiciary.
