Kenya’s Chief Justice David Maraga has accused the country’s Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinett of ignoring calls to protect the judiciary following the Supreme Court’s nullification of the August 8 presidential election.
“JSC notes with dismay that the Inspector-General of Police, who is expected to provide security to all government facilities, has repeatedly ignored calls to act, exposing judicial officers, property and litigants to danger,” he said on Tuesday in a statement after a meeting with members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The judiciary has been subject to immense verbal attacks since the September 1 ruling that nullified the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru’s response to the judgement was that he accepted but disagreed with it.
In a campaign rallies immediately after the ruling, the president called the judges that ruled in favour of a nullification “wakora”, meaning crooks. He also said he would revisit it.
Maraga noted that the “attacks are denigrating, demeaning and degrading, and are meant to intimidate, threaten and cow the constitution and individual judges.”
The CJ in the statement however assured Kenyans that “the Judiciary will continue to discharge its mandate in accordance with the Constitution and individual oaths of office.”
He also noted that those who were dissatisfied with the decisions of the judiciary should seek a referendum to abolish it.
“If leaders are tired of having a strong and independent judiciary, they should call a referendum and abolish it altogether,” he said.
Kenyans are now set to head back to the ballot on October 17 in an alection that would have only two contenders, President Uhuru and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Judicial Service Commission statement on attacks on the Judiciary. pic.twitter.com/7goqSk60Ou
— David Maraga (@dkmaraga) September 19, 2017
