There are three arms of government in Kenya; the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature that are supposed to work together towards a common goal.
A war has been brewing between the Executive arm of government and the Judiciary. It is no longer the billowing smoke but a raging fire that is showing publicly.
The bad blood between the two arms kicked in when the Supreme Court nullified the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta, leading to a repeat Presidential elections.
President Uhuru Kenyatta (then a Jubilee candidate) and his deputy William Ruto were furious and vowed to teach the Judiciary a lesson through the infamous “we shall revisit” slogan.
A while back, the Chief Justice David Maraga came out, guns blazing blaming the Executive for undermining the Judiciary to the point of openly ignoring and frustrating him as the CJ.
He pointed out then that during the Mashujaa Day celebrations that were held in Mombasa, he was forced out of his official car and walked to the venue through a sidewalk. The master of ceremony did not even recognize him.
“Unless I am treated with dignity due to my office, I will choose which State function to attend,” the seeming furious Maraga said.
He went on to detail instances in which junior public servants had direct access to see the President while him being made to wait and sometimes turned away.
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He Kept His Word
David Maraga seems to be a man who keeps his word. On Thursday, during the Jamhuri Day celebrations, he missed in action.
A seat that had been reserved for him, in front of the dais, normally occupied by the President, Deputy President, Speakers of Senate and National Assembly, remained unoccupied throughout the celebrations.
Interestingly, all the judges of the Supreme Court, including the registrar missed the event showing the grave of the conflict between the two arms; Judiciary and the Executive.
People had not noticed that David Maraga was missing until the Deputy President started his speech and recognized the CJ among the guests in “attendance.”
President Uhuru Kenyatta Is Failing The Nation By “Punishing The Judiciary”
At one point, the National Treasury cut the budget meant for Judiciary by more than a half leading to most courts suspending their operations.
The President has also, deliberately, refused to approved various judges after being vetted and the names presented to him.
The animosity between the two arms; Judiciary and the Executive is a danger to the very existence of Kenya. A strong Judiciary leads to a strong nation founded on the pillars of justice. Killing Judiciary is throwing the country to the dogs.
The fight against corruption is likely to bear no fruits of the Judiciary will continue being frustrated. In the fight against corruption, the bar stops with the Judiciary.
READ: Treasury Won’t Go Back On Budget Slash Plans- Yattani to Judiciary