Renowned attorney Ndegwa Njiru has stirred up controversy in the public eye by claiming that President William Ruto is thinking of appointing a “user-friendly” Chief Justice to succeed Chief Justice Martha Koome. Using names like Christine Kipsang, Gladys Shollei, and others who would be more supportive of the government, Njiru asserted in a post on the social media site X that President Ruto is considering selecting a new Chief Justice from the Kalenjin people.
Njiru’s assertions come after news broke that Chief Justice Koome’s security detail was revoked on January 23, 2025, causing a great deal of public outrage. The action raised concerns about possible political meddling, especially as Koome has been seen as impartial in her judicial duties. But after the uproar, her protection was restored, which increased the level of scrutiny of the government’s actions.
Njiru implied in his article that the president wants to replace Koome with a person who is more in line with the goals of his government. Debates concerning the judiciary’s independence and the escalating hostilities between Kenya’s judiciary and executive branch have been heightened by the accusations. Concerns have been raised over these allegations’ possible effects on Kenya’s rule of law as well as the distribution of power within the government.
By Kenyans