We are ready to pay the ultimate price, CJ Maraga says

Chief Justice David Maraga has said judges are ready to pay the ultimate price to protect the Constitution and the rule of law following sustained attacks on the Judiciary.

Speaking in a media briefing after chairing the Judicial Service Commission meeting, Justice Maraga said the attacks and protests against the Supreme Court verdict on the presidential poll petition are meant to scare the Judiciary, adding that the Judges are ready to defend the independence of the institution.

“…Individual Judges particularly of the Supreme Court as well as other judicial officers and staff have been attacked, threatened and negatively profiled on social media,” said CJ Maraga

“Senior political leaders have threatened the Judiciary, promising to cut it to size and teach us a lesson,” he added.

“These attacks are degrading, demeaning and are meant to intimidate, threaten and cow the institution and the individual judges,” Maraga said.

Aggressive attacks on Judiciary

Maraga has now directed all Judiciary officers to continue discharging their duties adding that other arms of the government cannot influence decisions of the courts.

While noting that the attacks on Judiciary have become more aggressive, the commission who earlier met in a closed door to discuss the petitions filed against the Supreme Court judges over recent election petition ruling condemned the attacks insisting that they were only meant to threaten them.

“All sovereign power belongs to the people, we therefore will never agree to work in accordance to the whims and the desires of the Executive or Parliament,” fumed Maraga

Meanwhile the Kenya Judicial Staff Association has also defended the Judiciary from attacks by politicians.

The association’s Chair Sango Maewa has told off politicians, saying they should respect the independence of the Judiciary.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is set to deliver its full judgment on the petition, explaining in details why it nullified the August 8 presidential election results.