Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has condemned the removal of Chief Justice Martha Koome’s security team, terming the move an attempt to capture the Judiciary and intimidate judges.
Speaking at the SKM Command Center in Nairobi, Kioni stated: “The removal of the security officers from the CJ’s office indicates a person who is still bent on capturing all these institutions.”
On Thursday, January 23, the Interior Ministry withdrew Chief Justice Martha Koome’s security and scaled down the number of police officers manning courts in the country.
In what now opens a battleground between the Judiciary and the Executive, it emerged that officers protecting Justice Koome were recalled, and those in the newly created Judiciary Protection Unit were reduced.
The removal came hours after the High Court stuck to its guns that the IG and the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohammed Amin must appear in person to explain the whereabouts of Justus Mutumwa, Martin Mwau, and Karani Muema, who were abducted in Mlolongo.
In a letter addressed to Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Koome said the withdrawal was meant to undermine a constitutional office or retaliate.
However, in his defense, Murkomen stated that the withdrawal of Chief Justice Martha Koome’s security detail was a routine matter that did not warrant attention.
“Unfortunately, our Chief Justice went too public about this issue. I want to assure you that I have an excellent relationship with the Chief Justice unless she has an issue on her side. We want to assure the CJ that it was a small matter. It didn’t necessitate raising alarm all over the world that there is a scheme somewhere to deny the CJ security,” said the CS.
The CS further clarified that although Koome is supposed to be designated six police officers, she has been given 32 officers, adding that she raised an alarm over three of her officers, consisting of two officers and a driver, who went for training, a misunderstanding that could have been resolved through a phone call.
However, according to Kioni, if President William Ruto and his government are unhappy with judgments coming from the Judiciary, they should learn to live with it and allow courts to perform their duties without intimidation.
“Even if you are unhappy with their ruling, let them do their job. We demand the reinstatement of the CJ security team and any other judicial officer whose security has been withdrawn,” said Kioni.
