Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has cautioned politicians against interfering with the independence of the Judiciary.
Speaking on Friday, November 24 during the launch of the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) 2023-2033 blueprint and presentation of the State of the Judiciary and the Administration of Justice Annual Report (SOJAR) 2022-2023, Mutunga recalled interacting with senior government officials during his tenure and asking them to refrain from trying to control the Judiciary.
"In my office as Chief Justice, whenever I interacted with the Presidents and DPs, I used to tell them one thing, that if you think you can enslave the judiciary, it can also be enslaved by those who come after you, and they can come after you literally,” Mutunga recalled.
The former Chief Justice went on to disclose he called former President Uhuru Kenyatta to remind him of the advice after his Northlands farm was invaded and property was destroyed.
"I remember when former President Uhuru Kenyatta's goats were stolen and trees were cut. I tried to call him to remind him that we had had that discussion, that the Judiciary is a place where the bewildered will run to and that's why we are called the temple of justice because that's where the Constitution protects anybody,” he stated.
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Mutunga also recalled calling former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i when his Karen home was allegedly raided by police officers early this year.
"Even former CS Fred Matiang'i, when his rights to privacy were violated, I tried to call him. I wanted to tell him that we were protecting his rights because the politics of revenge is what the Constitution does not envisage,” he added.
The ex-chief justice called on politicians to guarantee the impudence and integrity of the Judiciary saying it is the only institution that guarantees social transformation.
“It’s only the Judiciary where people love to run to, Uhuru's sons with their gun licenses where did they go? There is no other place, " Mutunga continued.
