Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has called on local politicians to stay out of the Judiciary’s business so that the government’s legal arm can operate freely and with integrity.
Mutunga emphasized that because of his previous role, he had contacts with senior government officials who were purportedly trying to limit the power of the judiciary.
He said that he had repeatedly forewarned the top brass that trying to corrupt and control the judiciary would have consequences down the road, especially after they left the government.
“In my office as CJ, whenever I interacted with the Presidents and DPs, I used to tell them one thing, if you think you can enslave the judiciary, it can also be enslaved by those who come after you, and they can come after you literally. This message is for politicians who are present,” he said.
Back then, he went on, most of the politicians disregarded his warning but all that changed when their terms expired and different regimes, with whom they had political differences, took over Kenya’s leadership.
“I remember when former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s goats were stolen and trees were cut. I tried to call him to remind him that we had that discussion, that the Judiciary is a place where the bewildered will run to and that’s why we are called the temple of justice, because that’s where the Constitution protects anybody. Uhuru’s sons with their gun licenses where did they go?” Mutunga posed.
“Even former CS Fred Matiang’i, when his rights to privacy were violated, I tried to call him. I wanted to tell him that we were protecting his rights because the politics of revenge is what the Constitution does not envisage. So my message to the politicians is that we must guarantee the independence and integrity of the Judiciary.”
The ex-CJ spoke on Friday at the Supreme Court during the launch of the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) 2023-2033 blueprint and presentation of the State of the Judiciary and the Administration of Justice Annual Report (SOJAR) 2022-2023.
