By Onyinkwa O
This here is the Chief Justice of Kenya and also the President of one of the 3 arms of government ~ the Judiciary. Not just any of the 3, but THE JUDICIARY. Anyone that understands the mechanics and architecture of of our government would know that there is everything wrong with the CJ and President of the SCORK following politicians around to political events even if they are held at his home area.
Just like Justice must not only be done, but also be seen to be done, separation of powers must not only be adhered to, but also be seen to be adhered to. The optics of this ain’t good at all. The CJ jostling for space with MPs, MCAs, bodyguards, aides and such others on the street below as they listen to politicians is demeaning not just to his stature, but to the institution that he heads.
Those of us that gave CJ Maraga the benefit of doubt when he effected the transfer of certain Judges that had delivered rulings that were unfavourable to the Executive must now wonder if we wasted our ‘benefit of doubt’. The honest truth is that those transfer letters felt like they had been penned at State House, but because there wasn’t much ‘circumstantial evidence’ to back up our doubts, we handed him our precious benefit of doubt.
However, with such ‘circumstantial evidence’ now available, it is safe to state that we are fast hurtling towards the unfortunate situation that obtained during the ‘Nyayo error’ when the Judiciary was an appendage of the executive!
