Kenya's president stirs outrage for accusing judiciary of corruption
Kenya’s President William Ruto has stirred controversy with comments about the judiciary in his country. In a post on platform X, the president alleged that there are efforts by corrupt judicial officers to sabotage his government.
Despite acknowledging the presence of some good judicial officers, he accused others of engaging in bribery to influence the pace at which court cases are heard and the decisions of some judges.
“You warned me of sabotage by corrupt judicial officers. I told you there are many good officers in the judiciary and that we will root out the corrupt. We shall. Muite SC, the impunity of bribing judges so as not to derail, delay, or sabotage Kenya’s imminent transformation will never happen under my watch. Not a single cent will be used to bribe nobody,” he said.
But the president’s comments have stimulated outrage with many citizens accusing him of supervising corrupt activities under his watch and condemning it when it works against his administration.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Judicial Service Commission has released a statement indicating its commitment to protect the independence and transparency of the service.
“The JSC, therefore, noted with concern that honourable Judges and Judicial Officers have been subjected to public criticism and vilification for issuing court orders that are perceived to be against State programmes and policies. The JSC wishes to reaffirm the independence and integrity of the Judiciary as a co-equal arm of government as enshrined in the Constitution,” parts of the statement read.
Below are some reactions to President Ruto's comment.
