Just hours after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) urged President William Ruto to take back his remarks on the Judiciary, vowing to take to the streets for peaceful protests next week, State House has issued a statement telling off the lawyers.
In statement issued by State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, President Ruto has told off LSK for criticising and attempting to advise the President on the independence of the Judiciary and Constitutionalism.
According to the statement, President Ruto’s push for judicial reforms is unstoppable.
State House intimated that the advice by LSK was not necessary as the President has consistently upheld the rule of law and respected court orders, even in regards to his affordable housing pet project.
“We, however, agree with the Law Society of Kenya that Executive impunity is unacceptable. However, legislative impunity, by its own measure, is also unacceptable and so is judicial impunity,” reads the statement in part.
According to the State House Spokesperson, it would be a dereliction of the President’s oath of office, and a betrayal of the people’s mandate to allow their hopes and aspirations to be obstructed by corruption and impunity.
LSK had earlier on announced that it will organize peaceful protests across the country in defense of the rule of law and in solidarity with the Judiciary.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 3, LSK President Eric Theuri accused the President of undermining the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary, which he said was “a cornerstone of democracy.”
Moments later, Chief Justice Martha Koome called out perceived judicial intimidation by the Executive and urged judges and judicial officials to carry on with their work without fear of reproach or coercion.
It all started when President Ruto, while speaking in Nyandarua on Tuesday, claimed that the the Judiciary harbours rogue elements out to sabotage his legacy.
