Kenya's Chief Justice alleges Executive plot to oust him
Monday November 04 2019
Kenya's Chief Justice David Maraga has come out to lay bare the frustration his office and the entire Judiciary have been suffering at the hands of the Executive arm of government led by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
A visibly angry Maraga, in a televised address to the nation from the foot of the Supreme Court in Nairobi on Monday, revealed an alleged secret plot by the Executive to remove him from office before December 31.
“Some CSs (Cabinet secretaries) are saying I will go before the year ends, kumbe hii Kenya ina wenyewe (apparently Kenya has real owners)?" Judge Maraga, who wore a wry smile intermittently, said.
He accused the National Treasury of unfairly targeting courts in its austerity measures as budgets for Parliament and the Executive keep growing.
"The chief justice has no Mercedes car, we were told its wastage, yet the two Speakers of the national assembly have them," he said as explained as he explained how he has been forced to accord visiting dignitaries, including CJs, wanting transport.
Since 2014, the Judiciary budget has been shrinking and this year, it received a paltry 0.69 per cent of the national budget.
“But as the Judiciary budget is declining, workload is rising,” he said as he issued an order to the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary.
“Moving forward, Judiciary budget estimates will be taken to Parliament and not Treasury We cannot continue begging for what belongs to us,” he said.
He decried sustained contemptuously treatment by the executive in office communication, during state functions and other public places including local airports where he is denied admission to VIP lounges.
“I will now choose which State functions to attend as I'm always treated contemptuously like it happened during Mashujaa Day, where my presence was not even acknowledged,” he said.
In office communication, Justice Maraga said he has been receiving letters signed by clerks on behalf of Cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries.
“That is the level they have reduced me to...I have shredded many of such letters,” he said.