Members of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) are today conducting nationwide peaceful demonstrations to express their protest against President William Ruto’s remarks targeting the judiciary.
LSK President Eric Theuri is leading the lawyers, who are donning purple ribbons during the demonstrations as a symbolic show of their solidarity with the judiciary and their commitment to upholding the rule of law.
According to a press statement issued by LSK to newsrooms on Thursday, the protests started at the Supreme Court Grounds and will proceed to Parliament Road, then to the office of the president.
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Eric Theuri announced their planned protests last week in order to show their support for the judiciary and the rule of law.
“We’re concerned, as LSK, that we begin the year with a dark cloud hovering around the justice system following remarks by the President. Those remarks are a threat to the rule of law; we want the president to retract, or else they will send very bad signals,” he said.
Theuri argued that the president’s attacks on the judiciary, without adhering to established legal procedures, indicate an autocratic style of governance. He called on President Ruto to retract his statements, emphasizing the negative precedent it sets for the country’s rule of law.
“We remind the President that the same courts upheld his election based on impartiality and, at one time, nullified another. The President should refrain from undermining the judiciary,” he stated.
President Ruto faced criticism over his remarks in Nyandarua regarding recent judicial rulings. He accused several judicial officers of corruption and claimed they were attempting to hinder his administration from fulfilling promises made to Kenyans. While putting these officers on notice, he also stressed the importance of respecting the independence of the judiciary.
