Ruto, Koome State House meeting was a mistake; Jame Orengo
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Siaya governor James Orengo lashes out at Chief Justice Martha Koome over a meeting between her and President William Ruto
Siaya governor James Orengo lashes out at Chief Justice Martha Koome over a meeting between her and President William Ruto.
Speaking on Monday at Lundha mixed secondary school in Gem constituency, the governor said the Judiciary was an equal arm of government which must not be treated as subordinate to any of the other arms of the state.
“The constitution created Judiciary as an equal co-arm of government and the executive is not superior,” he said.
“I want to ask the Kenya Kwanza government to tell Kenyans why they have not brought any complaint to the Judicial Service Commission against the judges,” he quipped.
” If truly you have evidence and these allegations and that they are not mere politics, why have you not filed a petition through the investigation agencies before the JSC?” Orengo wondered.
The governor said he once represented the deputy CJ Philomena Mwilu before the JSC when a petition was lodged against her.
“Judges are not above the law but when there is evidence of any wrongdoing, go to the police or file a petition through the ODPP,” he said.
Orengo further faulted the deputy president Rigathi Gachagua over the accusations he made against a judge noting that the DP mismatched the character of that particular judge.
” It is very rare that in a democratic state like Kenya, the Judiciary is intimidated by the executive to an extent the CJ is forced into a meeting, privately with the president,” he said.
” If these claims against the judges are true, why is there no report for the past month that these allegations have been flying around? Not a single complaint has been presented by JSC by any investigation agency,” he added.
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He noted that the people making allegations against Judicial officers should have by way of a petition lodged their claims before the JSC.
” I’m not saying we may not be having some corrupt judges. There could be some rogue elements within the Judiciary but if there is any evidence, why can’t a petition be brought against any corrupt judge to JSC?” he posed.
He reminded the DP and the president that failing to report an offence in itself is an offence.
“The DP must avail evidence or a report he has against the judges,” Orengo said.
The governor asked the CJ to be firm and not allow herself to be intimidated by the executive
“You should learn from the past holders of that office. Justice David Maraga was never intimidated. He never begged for a meeting with the President. Same to Justice Willy Mutunga,” he noted.
He said Koome’s predecessors never met with the president privately to discuss allegations against any judge.
The governor further pointed out that a country that doesn’t have an independent Judiciary can not be a true democracy regardless of who is the president.
“It doesn’t matter whether the president is a Pope. The independence of the Judiciary is sacrosanct,” Orengo noted.
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