President Kenyatta has broken silence over his decision to reject the nomination of six judges to the superior courts.
Through a gazette notice on Thursday, Kenyatta approved the appointment of 34 out of the 41 judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in July 2019.
He rejected the nominations of Justices Aggrey Muchelule, Weldon Korir, George Odunga, and Joel Ngugi, saying they did not meet the threshold. The four had been recommended to serve in the Appeals Court.
Also not cleared are Makori Evans Kiago and Judith Elizabeth Omange, who had been nominated to the labor and environment court.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony for the newly appointed judges at State House on Friday, Kenyatta insisted that his actions are in the interest of the country. He stated that he could not ignore available information putting into question the integrity of the affected judges.
“Just like you today, I too took the oath to both the letter and the spirit of the law and it is not open to me to turn a blind eye to reports of our state organs,” Uhuru said.
Kenyatta further vowed not to give in to pressure to act against his oath of office as the president.
“As long as I am president I will choose the right over the convenient, I will choose the hard over the easy, and I am not doing this for myself but the people of Kenya and for posterity,” he added.
Of the 34 new judges, seven belong to the court of appeal, nine to the employment and labor relations court, and eighteen to the environment and land court.
President Kenyatta had delayed the appointment of the judges since July 2019, citing integrity issues on some of the nominees.
Pleas by retired Chief Justice David Maraga to appoint the 41 judges were in vain.
“The Constitution does not donate any mandate to the President to perform any other act upon the names recommended by the JSC except to appoint them,” Maraga said during a press briefing.
The six judges were rejected…
The six judges were rejected by the president who is the appointing authority because they all corrupt! What else do people want to know?
The country will never clean up with corrupt judges on the bench! Get six other honest judges to serve our beautiful country!
He’s an ICC criminal & he…
He’s an ICC criminal & he should have never been president.
The problem is among those…
The problem is among those six judges he rejected are already serving as High Court judges. If it is about integrity, they should not be in high court either, but he should appoint a tribunal to investigate them
On this one, I agree with…
On this one, I agree with the president. He too has a conscience, and is not just a rubber stamp, as he is being told by those opposed to his decision. Even in Western Societies like in the US, the president is given recommendations for Judges to be appointed. Like Trump did with Supreme Court Judges Kavenah and Amy Berrett. But the decision on whom to appoint is his, regardless of the recommendations. It cannot be overruled by the same Judges who he has refused to appoint, because there is a clear conflict of interest. This became evident in Kenya when the same Judges in the JSC list ‘ruled’ that they should be promoted, and the president had no say in it. My take? It was wise to swear in the appointed Judges immediately, before someone rushed to the same disgruntled Judges to have it ‘blocked’. In the meantime lam sure a case will work itself upto the Supreme Court Judges to decide if the president’s role in appointing Judges is just ceremonial as many seem to think and believe. Regardless of the outcome, I applaud him for following his conscience. I too would not be able to put a known chicken thief in charge chickens, simply because I am the foreman, and I have been ‘ordered’ to do so by a chicken thief. The Judges have been sworn in. Kudos. They were sworn in by the Chief Justice, in the presence of the President, and the Registrar of the High Court. All Constitutional requirements for their Swearing-in have been met.
This is one thing I agree…
This is one thing I agree with you @nomad! We should fire all the corrupt legal officers in the judiciary because they are the purporters of corruption cartels in Kenya!
Martha Koome must be living in Jupiter if she wants the six judges appointed by the president while we all know how they have received bribes through personal proxies!
It is even shameful for Koome to ask Uhuru to appoint corrupt judges.
I also saw that Karua wants her corrupt thieves appointed so she can continue to steal! Something is really wrong with Martha Karua! How in the whole world can she be supporting corruption since she has become a buddy of DP Ruto, the most corrupt thief in the whole of Kenya!
Give us a break!
Jambazi Uhuru who recently…
Jambazi Uhuru who recently bribed 2600 MCAs to pass BBI is not even ashamed to talk of an unproven lack of integrity by others.The so-called president should appoint commissions to investigate the four sitting judges while the DCI investigate other two.But WHO IS THE COMPLAINT?
JSC: Its mandate as…
JSC: Its mandate as stipulated in Article 172 of the Constitution is to promote and facilitate the independence and accountability of the Judiciary.
My question to jsc is why land disputes even the clear cut ones last in court for years.
Land cases and others last…
Land cases and others last in court for ages because the judges and lawyers work in cohort to siphon bribes from those aggrieved! You can’t help but hate these useless judges and lawyers who have become bigger thieves than two William Ruto put together!
Uhuru is right for not approving the six judges! Even the 34 who approved got issues too! Only that they confessed to clean up before Uhuru appointed them! Wao wote ni wachenzi!
What can you call Uhuru’s…
What can you call Uhuru’s shs 2m grant to 2600 MCAs to pass the BBI?What about Uhuru’s confession of leading other looters to steal shs 2b.daily?And shs 218b.COVID funds looting?All these are corruption cases which Uhuru led other gangsters to siphon from YOU,fake Gill.
The 2010 Constitution is…
The 2010 Constitution is bringing us indigestion, as predicted by former President Moi. We have a President who is being forced by Law to appoint Judges, in total disregard of his own Conscience. If in the same position, I would also follow my Conscience. Let the Supreme Court decide if Judges can appoint themselves.