A coalition of 17 civil society organizations has retracted and apologized for previously accusing a top Judiciary official of facilitating the swearing-in of 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) at State House on March 23, 2023.
The groups claimed that the Judiciary was complicit in the illegal appointment of the CAS, despite a slew of court cases filed to challenge the proposed office of CAS.
However, on March 25, 2023, the Judiciary issued a statement denying any involvement in the swearing-in ceremony and clarifying that, with the exception of the Presidency, it has no role in administering such oaths.
The civil society organizations expressed gratitude for the clarification and apologized profusely for their error.
They also clarified that their initial statement was issued by 14 organizations, not just one individual or institution, as the Judiciary statement stated.
“We have read the statement by the Judiciary issued on the 25th March 2023 stating that it did not facilitate the swearing-in of the 50 illegal CAS at Statehouse, Nairobi and is never engaged in swearing in the Executive save for the Presidency. We appreciate this clarification. In light of the clarification, we retract our statement regarding a top Judiciary official facilitating the swearing-in of CAS on 23rd March 2023 and apologize unreservedly for that error,” the statement read.
The organizations expressed concern that Kenya is gradually slipping down a dangerous path in which the Executive is increasingly engaging in illegalities and defying the rule of law.
They lauded the Judiciary for issuing two conservatory orders on March 24, 2023, stopping the 50 CAS from assuming or continuing in office, or earning any remuneration, benefit, or salary in the interim.
They also praised the Judiciary for upholding media freedom by suspending the Communication Authority of Kenya’s censure of six television stations for factual reporting on recent protests.
The groups urged the judiciary to remain independent, firm, and true, and to always act above suspicion by upholding the rule of law vehemently.
They stated that the Judiciary must resist any pressure or interference from the Executive and must remain Kenyans’ anchor.
