Kenya not ready for another activist Chief Justice Uhuru

President Uhuru Kenyatta has faulted the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for appointing Dr Willy Mutunga as Chief Justice, five years ago.

Speaking during the swearing in of new Chief Justice, David Maraga, at State House in Nairobi, Uhuru said that it was a mistake for the JSC to pick Mutunga as the Chief Justice in 2011 owing to his purported activist-like tendencies.

The lash-out is a follow up to Uhuru’s show of disappointment on Tuesday, October 18 of the apparent lag in the war against corruption.

During his speech at the State House Accountability Summit on Tuesday, October 18, Uhuru called on the Judiciary to up their game in ensuring graft is clipped and justice is dispensed accordance with the Constitution.

He also called on State agencies, charged with the responsibility of fighting graft to pull up their socks and ensure those fond culpable of corruption are dealt with.

“As the President, I have played my part in fighting corruption and even called on those named in graft to step aside. Let those who are charged with investigations do their job and do it right,” said a seemingly infuriated Uhuru.

“Corruption has frustrated me and it is because the pressure to fight graft rests on my shoulders. But I have done what no other government has done since independence in fighting corruption, at a great political expense.”

The President singled out the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Inspector General of Police, and the Judiciary as key agencies in the fight against corruption.

“DPP Keriako Tobiko, EACC CEO, Harakhe Waqo, the IG, and the Judiciary should play their role in fighting corruption instead of engaging in blame games.”

“I am not the one harboring corruption; it is you (anti-graft agencies) who have failed to do your job. I challenge the agencies to stand up and say that they have been denied resources; because that is not the case.”

CJ Maraga takes over from Mutunga who retired in June 2016.