President William Ruto is under fire for statements attacking the judiciary that threaten the independence of the courts, drawing sharp condemnation from the association representing the country’s judges and magistrates.
In a scathing statement Wednesday, the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association accused President William Ruto of attempting to ridicule and undermine public trust in the judicial system after he called judges “corrupt” and told officials to ignore court orders earlier this week.
“Where the decisions of the Courts are not respected, the rule of law is betrayed and anarchy prevails,” the association said. “Judges and Judicial Officers cannot work freely with such threats especially when made by no other than the President himself.”
The association said Ruto’s comments constituted “an abuse of the Constitution and the people of Kenya” and violated the principles of separation of powers enshrined in the nation’s founding document.
“Any assault on the Judiciary or attempts to undermine its integrity can heavily impact our democracy,” the statement read. “We must therefore reiterate that the president having been given the trust of leadership remain faithful to the call of Article 131 (2)(a) of the Constitution of Kenya to respect, uphold and safeguard the Constitution.”
Ruto accused judges of overreach and threatened court action against officials who follow judicial orders.
“We are not going to allow judicial tyranny in this country. We are not going to allow judicial impunity in this country,” Ruto said.
The magistrates association warned that defying court orders violated the oath Ruto took to protect and uphold the constitution when he was sworn in as president in September.
“By disobeying the Court Orders the President is disobeying the very Constitution which he swore to protect and uphold by trampling upon the independence of the Judiciary,” the statement said.
Judges and judicial officers in Kenya derive their authority from the constitution and laws of the country, not from the executive branch, the association noted. Under the constitution, they are shielded from external control or direction.
“The Judiciary, Judges and Judicial Officers play a pivotal role in the functioning of any democratic society,” the statement said. “Any assault on the Judiciary or attempts to undermine its integrity can heavily impact our democracy.”
The association pledged that judges and judicial officers would continue to faithfully carry out their duties independently and urged Kenyans to stand up in defense of the constitution.
“The Executive attacks against the Courts for doing their work must stop,” it said.
