Raila Odinga Urges Overhaul of Judiciary in Latest Call for Reform

ODM leader Raila Odinga has called for the establishment of an impartial and independent commission or task force to address corruption within the Judiciary.

He stresses that the country’s legal system cannot depend on the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary to effectively address the problem at hand. Raila cautions against repeating the unsuccessful endeavours of the 2003 Aron Ringera-led drastic intervention and Shard Rao’s initiative, which sought to eliminate corrupt judges but ultimately fell short of success. The Aron Ringera-led drastic intervention and Sharad Rao’s Judged and Magistrate Vetting Board, established in 2011, led to the dismissal of numerous judges and magistrates deemed unsuitable for their roles.

“It is not the first time Kenyans have heard about the purge in the Judiciary. The past two purges were to blackmail and intimidate the judges so that they could be compliant,” he says.

During his speech to the ODM delegates in Kilifi, Raila also condemned the Senate and National Assembly Speakers, alleging that they have transformed into mere followers of the President. He expressed worry over the recent occurrence where, for the first time in history, the two Speakers of Parliament were summoned to State House to witness the President signing Bills into law. Raila reflected on a previous era when Bills were deliberated by MPs, then passed on to the Speakers who sought the help of the Attorney General in composing and revising them before presenting them to the President for approval.

Raila slammed the meeting between President William Ruto, Chief Justice Martha Koome, and Speakers Moses Wetang’ula (National Assembly) and Amason Kingi (Senate) at State House Nairobi. He claims that they aimed to pressure the judges into making favourable rulings on cases opposing government policies that Kenyans are against. However, Ruto supports the meeting with Justice Koome, asserting that its goal was to bring the entire government together in the battle against corruption and state capture. The president highlights the significance of all three branches of government collaborating to tackle the collusion of cartels and inept public officials who have been stealing from the Kenyan people.

On Tuesday, Wetang’ula disapproved of those against the State House get-together, calling them “cynical hypocrites.” He referred to the gathering as the Arms of Government Summit. Meanwhile, Raila, who is leading the ODM membership recruitment campaign at the Coast, has cautioned against early campaigning, as it threatens the unity of the party and Azimo. He notes that seasoned democracies such as the U.S. initiate their candidacy campaigns five months before the polling period.

Raila was accompanied by Governors Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi), and ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya, among other leaders. Meanwhile, there are indications that rival parties have infiltrated ODM and are causing internal strife. Raila will visit Kwale on Thursday and proceed to Taita Tavata on Friday. He will wrap up his tour of the Coast on Saturday in Mombasa.