By Moses Muli

Published: January 22,2024 12:10 PM(EAT)

President William Ruto on Monday morning held a meeting with Chief Justice Martha Koome at State House.

This is in a bid to end the stand-off between the Executive and Judiciary over corruption claims on judges.

Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula was also part of the meeting.

State House Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam who spoke to the press confirmed the meeting.

Early this month President Ruto accused the Judiciary of teaming up with cartels to stall his legacy projects.

“I want to announce here that a few people with vested interests who are beneficiaries of corruption in NHIF are now ganging up with corrupt judicial officers to stall reforms so that fake hospital claims will continue,” he said during burial in Nyandarua.

The utterances made on January 2, elicited reactions from several associations.

On January 15, CJ Koome said that the Judiciary wrote to Ruto seeking an audience with the view to establishing the genesis of his complaints against them.

The CJ said the Judiciary is ready to interrogate the concerns the President has with the system.

“He might have received information because we have various machinery and agencies for collecting information and we would like to engage him so that he can give us that information,” Koome said.

“So we will be looking out for that dialogue, we have written and I believe that the President is going to give us an appointment.”

President Ruto later agreed to hold talks with the Judiciary.

The Head of State said he was ready for talks with Chief Justice Koome to address alleged corruption in the Judiciary.

“Mimi nataka nimwambie madam Chief Justice niko tayari kwa hayo mazungumzo,” Ruto said Tuesday in Nandi.

This translates to, “I want to tell the Chief Justice that I am ready for the talks.”

He, however, said the discussion will involve the leadership of the three arms of government.

“I am ready for the conversation on how we are going to deal with vested interests, incompetence and corruption,” Ruto said.

Why Ruto-Koome State House meeting was a mistake – Orengo

Siaya governor James Orengo on Monday lashed out at Chief Justice Martha Koome over a meeting between her and President William Ruto.

Speaking 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  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 to JSC by any investigation agency,” he added.

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.

He also lashed out at the Supreme Court over a decision to ban senior counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi.

“The Supreme Court must live within the provisions of the law. l disagree with them in the manner in which they handled lawyer Ahmednsir,” he added

Orengo at the same time criticised President Ruto’s assertion that he has negotiated for jobs for Kenyans abroad.

“The president claims to have secured over 1 million jobs abroad. Where are these jobs for instance to the youth from Gem Constituency where the area MP is working closely with the government?” he wondered.

Governor Orengo reminded the president that he promised to create to Kenyas locally.

“This is neo-slavery. This is reverse slavery and kin to modern-day slavery. We want jobs to be created here in Kenya by investing in the country,” he added.

He also noted that ODM will not entertain ” traitors”

“We don’t want traitors that betray our leader Raila Odinga,” he said.

The governor said his administration will work to improve performance in Siaya County.

He said with the advent of devolution, no leader has any justification to kneel before anyone to get funds for development.

“We already have devolution. You only need to interrogate how devolved funds are utilised but the allocations are assured by the Constitution that Raila fought for,” he said.

He said the revenue allocation from the national treasury can only be delayed because of financial constraints owing to poor leadership of the current regime but it must eventually be released.

” I will be visiting all the wards to highlight what we are doing. I promise that this year, alot will be happening in terms of development,” Orengo said.

The governor noted that there is a need to have a peaceful environment to serve the people.

In the Gem constituency, the Governor noted that his administration will provide Sh 19.8 million as bursaries.

“We have already hired ECD teachers on permanent terms,” he said.