The Mt Kenya Times 
President William Ruto and Chief Justice Martha Koome at a past event
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- Many Kenyans believed that some of the lawyers and judges were birds of same feather. They were very corrupt and eating proceeds of corruption together.
- The high and mighty would always have their way. This is because they had money to buy them. Perhaps, this is what prompted CJ Martha Koome to change her mind.
- This would take me down the memory lane. Why hire lawyer when you can buy a judge? This was a popular phrase during the tenures of the previous administrations.
- As such, this is one of the challenges that President Ruto inherited when he assumed office.
- For the ‘corrupt’ lawyers, they know they can only have their way if they work with ‘corrupt’ judges and magistrates.
I have been following closely the war of words pitting President William Ruto and his allies on one hand and Chief Justice Martha Koome, the opposition coalition Azimio and their foot soldiers on the other.
When it started, the first question that came to my mind was. Who will blink first?
Well, the other day the CJ addressed the second press conference on the same matter. Unlike the first one when she came out gun-blazing and cast a demeanor of being ready to face the President head-on, this time she had toned town.
We heard the President. After doing a critical analyses and considering the concerns he had raised, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) gave me the greenlight to seek audience with the president.
In this meeting, I’m sure we will come up with an amicable solution.
It is worth noting that the CJ softened her hardline stance just four days after members of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) took to the street.
Though President William Ruto was their main target, he remained undeterred. The lawyers had alleged that he was interfering with the independence of the Judiciary. The head of state is out to derail the gains anchored in the new constitution that was promulgated in 2010.
How? They would not convincingly prove their claims.
To me, this would not come as a surprise.
Many Kenyans believed that some of the lawyers and judges were birds of same feather. They were very corrupt and eating proceeds of corruption together.
The high and mighty would always have their way. This is because they had money to buy them. Perhaps, this is what prompted CJ Martha Koome to change her mind.
This would take me down the memory lane. Why hire lawyer when you can buy a judge? This was a popular phrase during the tenures of the previous administrations.
As such, this is one of the challenges that President Ruto inherited when he assumed office.
For the ‘corrupt’ lawyers, they know they can only have their way if they work with ‘corrupt’ judges and magistrates.
This explains why they would come out to defend the ‘tainted’ judicial officers.
Well, I heard the lawyers challenging President William Ruto to produce evidence to prove his claims. I never heard them piling the same pressure on President Mwai Kibaki and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
So, I would interpret this as a strategy designed to blackmail and intimidate President Ruto. I want to remind them that Dr Ruto is a hard nut to crack. He is also a clever and well schooled leader. Having served the previous administrations, he had also learnt big lessons.
He therefore knows the tricks that the lawyers use to defend their accomplices. Therefore, he is not afraid of facing them head-on.
The Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have since set the ball rolling. He has announced that he had a water-tight evidence against one of the senior judge which he will present to the Chief Justice this week.
Reacting to lawyers protest, President Ruto stated. I heard some people making noises in the streets. This is what I want to tell them.
My plan to clean the judiciary is unstoppable. The days of ‘corrupt’ judges are numbered.
It is worth noting the President receives undiluted intelligence briefings on daily basis.
Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga have lately been working very hard to gain political relevance. This explains why he is leading the anti-Ruto brigade.
During the second term of Uhuru Kenyatta presidency, Raila served as a co-principal of the ‘Handshake’ government.
I never heard him asking President Uhuru Kenyatta to prove his claims whenever he had run-ins with the judiciary.
President Ruto rightly states. As the custodian of the constitution and other written laws, the core mandate of the Judiciary is to interpret the law.
However, it is unfortunate to note that some of the ‘corrupt’ judges had been rendering decisions that flew in the face of this imperative.
The Judges’ endgame was to derail and sabotage my government’s efforts to implement the pre-election promises.
As a President, I also took the oath of office to protect, defend and uphold the Constitution of Kenya. So, I want to tell them. We will no longer obey their orders.
I’m not holding brief for the President but contrary to recent media reports he has not changed his position. He was very clear in his mind while calling on the three arms of the government-Executive, Parliament and Judiciary-to live up to their constitutional oath of office. Each arm have a role to play in furthering the common good of the Kenyan public. Let us put the people of Kenya first. Let us work together.
Dr Ruto’s critics have been doing very well. This is in terms of distorting and misinterpreting his statements.
At no time did the President say he will not obey court orders. My government remains true to the course of respecting the independence of judiciary and honoring its decisions.
The judges have had a bone to pick with me because I have kept my word that we will never bribe any of them.
During the era of President Mwai Kibaki and predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, the story was the same.
In numerous occasions, the two leaders used to come out gun blazing. They would accuse the corrupt judges of pushing the agenda of opposition leaders with the ultimate goal of derailing and sabotaging development plan of their respective government.
However, their efforts to clean the rot of judiciary did not bore the fruits.
This brings me to the question. Will President Ruto succeed? Let us pray for him. If he succeed to clean the rot, this will be for the good of all of us as Kenyans.
Last year as he led the nation in marking 60th Mashujaa day cerebrations, Dr Ruto reiterated.
The days of public servants and state officers who were contemplating stealing and looting the taxpayers’ money were numbered.
He noted that billions of shillings had been allocated to run Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
A huge chunk of the money comes from your pockets, your monthly contributions.
The national and county governments will also allocate more funds to power this noble initiative.
My fellow Kenyans, take I will be hard very on corrupt riddled personalities.
The president had earlier reiterated the place of state officials stealing hard earned public taxes is in jail.
During Devolution Conference held in Eldoret, he had fired a similar warning. He told governors of 47 counties. The national government has been allocating a huge chunk of taxpayer money. Kenyans want to see the value of thier money. What most of you have done so far is below thier expectations.
He spoke as some 8 current and former governors were battling charges of corruption, economic sabotage and abuse of office in court.
This reminded me of what happened in Nigeria when the devolution was introduced. The pioneer county bosses thought that it is time to eat.
Little did they know that then President was a non nonsense man. He was committed to walk the talk in slaying the dragon of corruption. He left half of them in jail when he retired.
Since he assumed office, President Ruto has remained consistent and focused in these endeavours. He always escalated the matters by calling on the heads of the anti-graft bodies to live up to thier oath of office. There are no sacred cows in my government. You have my full support.
Turning to elected leaders, he always reminded them that they were not above the law. You must be accountable to the electorates. If not, you are not worth to be called leaders. They did not elect you to steal thier resources.
The President’s interventions have been resonating very well with the masses because this signaled a radical departure from Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency.
Uhuru was known for talking tough but without taking any tangible action.
There was a time he said that Sh2 billion was being stolen every day in Kenya but this matter ended there.
The head of public service Felix Koskei announced a few days ago that Ruto administration is in the process of setting an inquiry to look at this matter.
As of now, we cannot tell whether what the former President said is true or not. Koskei further stated that a donor have agreed to fund the inquiry.
Having said this, I want to assure Kenyans that President Ruto is committed to win the war against graft. You can take this to the bank. Koskei, the head of public service spoke at the Bomas of Kenya where he was hosted by the civil society organizations involved in the fight against.
Back to Uhuru, he had earlier shocked Kenyans when he hosted the heads of anti-graft bodies at State House Nairobi.
Though one would have expected him to take on them for frustrating his administration’s efforts to fight mega corruption scandals, he instead appeared helpless as he threw his hands in air. He posed: What do you want me to do? Kenyans interpreted this to mean they were on thier own.
President Ruto again took a bold move when he thwarted a plot to steal Sh3.7 billion from the Global Fund earmarked for purchasing and supplying mosquito nets to tens of thousands of downtrodden Kenyans.
He fired the senior officials at the Ministry of Health and Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) who had been adversely mentioned.
He also called for the prosecution of the culprits.
The other day we saw Koskei unveiling a raft of measures aimed at streaming the water works sector.
At Athi Water Works Development Agency, he announced the cancellation of the contract of the Chief Executive Officer and anti graft bodies to commence investigations against him.
At KFS, President Ruto endorsed the decision of the board to sack and send 29 managers and forest rangers packing. Those culpable should face the law.
The claims by Azimio leader Raila Odinga and his brigade were mainly politically motivated and geared towards settling political scores. Raila never believed that he can lose elections to Dr Ruto.
This is because he was enjoying the support ‘Handshake’ partner President Uhuru Kenyatta. This is the first time he enjoyed the backing of the outgoing President.
In yester years, Azimio leader Raila Odinga had curved a niche of being a whistleblower. He had indeed become a household during the reign of President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta.
He had unearthed and exposed a number of mega corruption scandals.
He would play this role when he was fighting and pushing these governments to succumb to his demands.
Once he had fought his way and occupied his seat at the high table where the national cake is being shared, he always become contented.
We know today he is harboring a major grudge with the current government of President Ruto.
As such, he could have been in forefront of exposing the so called corruption scandals if they ever existed.
He would not dare to do this. Reason? He knew he would end up being embarrassed and ashamed because of peddling outright lie.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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