Chief Justice Martha Koome has firmly stated she will not step down from her position despite facing a wave of online attacks accusing the Judiciary of yielding to President William Ruto’s influence.
Speaking during the opening of the 2024 Annual Human Rights Summit on Tuesday, CJ Koome acknowledged being a victim of cyberbullying aimed at forcing her out of office.
“I always confess that I’m a victim of cyberbullying, it’s technologically facilitated gender-based violence, but I know the intention is a business model, don’t know to achieve what, maybe to scare me, disrupt me, to defame me, and hound me out of the office, but they can’t, try something else.
Addressing gender-based violence, the Chief Justice highlighted the Judiciary’s efforts to combat the vice, including the establishment of 13 specialized courts to handle such cases.
“We have dealt with perpetrators of such cruel actions and put criminals behind bars. However, while they serve their sentences, some are being trained by the University of London to become lawyers. Recently, 29 of them qualified as lawyers. What happens to the victims? We ask ourselves!” she said.
Koome also lauded the High Court for upholding accountability, particularly during the Gen Z demonstrations, where protesters faced unlawful arrests.
“One of the High Court’s significant achievements is its defense of the right to peaceful assembly and protest,” she remarked. “At a time when courts in other jurisdictions may have turned a blind eye or sanctioned heavy-handed approaches, the High Court of Kenya courageously intervened to strike a balance between law enforcement and the constitutional right to peaceful protests.”
The CJ reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to justice and independence, urging detractors to respect the institution’s role in safeguarding constitutional rights.
