Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has joined the debate over the removal of Chief Justice Martha Koome and other Supreme Court judges.
His statement came just one day after his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua, launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto regarding the same issue. Kindiki emphasized that the process of removing a judge is a constitutional matter, not a political one.
In a veiled critique of Gachagua, the Deputy President questioned who would defend judges accused of misconduct but who lack "ethnic godfathers" to support them.
"Removing a judge from office is purely a constitutional matter and not a political or ethnic issue," Kindiki stated.
"Accusers and defenders of judges must use constitutional and legal arguments to present their positions, rather than trivializing this weighty legal matter by introducing ethnicity into the equation. Who will defend judges who may be innocent but do not have ethnic godfathers?" Kindiki continued.
Gachagua's impassioned speech in Meru, where he accused President Ruto of attempting to unseat CJ Koome, has since sparked numerous responses, reigniting the debate.
During his address in Meru, the former Deputy President announced plans to call for protests if the Chief Justice was removed from office.
He further accused the President of attempting to purge Mount Kenya leaders who helped him rise to power.
For months, former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi, alongside senior advocates like Ahmednarrir Abdullahi, has been pushing for the overhaul of the apex court, including the removal of CJ Koome and its other six judges.
Havi also criticized Gachagua for attacking the President in his speech. He urged the former Deputy President to focus his criticism on him, as it was "his war."
"Why is Rigathi Gachagua threatening President William Ruto over the removal of the recalcitrant Martha Koome from office?" Havi asked.
"Let him threaten and call for protests against me. I have been consistent in my stance on Koome’s unsuitability since the day she applied for the office of CJ. It is my war."
So far, all efforts to unseat Koome have faced significant obstacles. Although petitions have been filed to remove the seven judges, both the High Court in Narok and in Nairobi have issued conservatory orders, preventing the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) from taking action on the petitions.
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Politics