- The chief justice revealed the removal of his security detail through a letter sent to Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen and Police IG Douglas Kanja
- He also denounced the alleged weakening of the Judicial Police Unit, whose officers he said had been repatriated by the government.
- Koome asked the Ministry of Interior and relevant government authorities to intervene and return his security detail
Nairobi – Chief Justice Martha Koome He has accused the government of taking his security information.
Source: Getty Images
What did Koome's letter to Minister Murkomen say
Koome wrote a letter to the Minister of Internal Security Dating Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja condemning the move.
“I express deep concern about the removal of the security of the Chief Justice–an act that undermines the independence of the judiciary, threatens institutional integrity, and jeopardizes democratic progress,” reads part of Koome's letter seen by TUKO.co.ke.
He did not explain the reason for the removal of the officers protecting him.
The CJ said that his security is not a favor from the government but it is a right that the government should maintain.
According to Koome, his safety and that of other judicial officers is a requirement that ensures the flawless delivery of justice as expected by the Judiciary.
“The security of the Chief Justice is not a personal right but a structural need to ensure the Court can work freely and without fear. It is used as an institutional defense to protect court officials, buildings and processes against any threats that may undermine the administration of justice,” his letter continued.
Are court employees facing security threats?
Apart from his personal woes, Koome lamented the weakening of the Judiciary Police Unit, which he disclosed had lost a large number of officers, thereby exposing judicial officers to security challenges.
The CJ revealed that the government had called many officers from the unit without replacing them and thus making it weak.
He said that, despite such challenges, employees in the justice system cannot perform their duties properly.
Koome was worried that such acts of open sabotage by government officials would leave the Court and the Executive in a conflict that would interfere with the freedom of hand of the government he leads.
“The removal of this security detail is a serious affront to the principle of separation of powers. It disrupts the delicate balance on which democratic governance is established, where each branch of government operates independently,” said Koome.
Koome asked the National Police Service (NPS) and relevant government authorities to address the matter.
The restoration of his security, he said, will emphasize the importance of the independence of institutions such as the Judiciary, an element that is important and necessary in a democracy.
“Therefore, I call on the Police Force in the country and all relevant government officials to immediately and unconditionally restore the security detail of the Chief Justice. This step is not only administrative but is necessary to confirm the independence of the Court, to protect the integrity of the offices of constitutionally, and to ensure that the state institutions are free to continue the growth of Kenya's democracy,” Koome said.
Why JSC canceled the recruitment of judges
Koome's ordeal came a day after the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), which he chairs, announced a freeze on the recruitment of High Court and Court of Appeal judges.
The commission had announced 11 vacancies for appellate judges and five for the Supreme Court.
It said that the recruitment has been affected by the budget deficit of the Department of Justice.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
