Kenya's Chief Justice takes up office

BY PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE

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null 1/1 President Kibaki presents the new constitution to Chief Justice Willy Mutunga/PPS NAIROBI, Kenya June 20 - Newly appointed Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga formally took over office on Monday and pledged to transform the judiciary by upholding high standards and respecting the new Constitution. He told journalists he would ensure "an end to impunity at the courts as part of the much awaited reforms." Addressing journalists at the building that will house the Supreme and Appeal courts soon after being sworn in at State House, Dr Mutunga announced that under his tenure, the courts would not be used for commercial or political purposes. "I would like to thank Kenyans for supporting me during the entire vetting process. I take over office as Chief Justice at a time when there are high expectations of a reformed judiciary… indeed I pledge that we will live up to our promises and reform the judiciary," he said. "The courts will no longer be used to settle political scores; they will not be used for commercial purposes. Corruption will be a thing of the past," the new CJ affirmed. He said he had instructed all judicial officials serving under him to discharge their duties diligently and ensure that courts remained reachable to Kenyans at all times. "The courts will remain accessible to all Kenyans at all times to ensure that Kenyans get justice whenever they need it," he added. He said he would outline much of his agenda once he settles in office. Newly appointed Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza assured Kenyans to expect a major transformation of the Judiciary which is seen as a major impediment of reforms in the country. "I would like to thank Kenyans for the support they gave us and as the Chief Justice has said, we will live up to our promises," she said. The two were escorted from State House by Judicial Service Commissioners Attorney General Amos Wako, Ahmednassir Abdullahi and Judges Riaga Omolo, Muga Apondi among others. Dr Mutunga arrived at the Law Courts in the official limousine inscribed CJ 1, with two chase cars with blaring sirens. Apart from the driver, a uniformed police officer sat with him in the car and was at hand to open the door for him before he was led to the stair case heading to his new office at - a phenomenon Dr Mutunga will now get used to, having spent much of his life in the NGO world. Earlier, Dr Mutunga was at State House Nairobi for his swearing in where he assured President Mwai Kibaki he would free the judiciary from the chains of impunity and lack of respect to the rule of law. He was sworn into office alongside his deputy Nancy Baraza and the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko. The President said the ceremony marked a turning point for the Judiciary and urged them to live to the expectations of the country.  "Over the past years Kenyans have called for the overhaul of our judicial system.  The desire among Kenyans was as a result of a wide range of challenges that have, over time, eroded public confidence in the Judiciary," the President said.  President Kibaki cited challenges that had been synonymous with the judiciary which included a backlog of cases; unethical conduct on the part of some judicial officers that impede fair dispensation of justice and weak administrative structures that undermine the effective administration of courts. "Your appointments are therefore a critical pillar in the process of addressing these challenges and delivering the transformation of the Judiciary that Kenyans desire.  The reform of the Judiciary is a matter of great public interest that will greatly affect our efforts towards opening a new chapter of rule of law in our country," the Head of State said. The President urged Kenyans to support the appointees as they endeavour to reform the judicial system. Dr Mutunga, Ms Baraza and Mr Tobiko were last week cleared by Parliament for appointment after a rigorous vetting process. On Thursday last week, the President also gazetted their appointments together with that of five Supreme Court judges but the judges' swearing in was halted a day later by the High Court, after a group of women organizations challenged their appointment on the grounds that it negated the Constitution as far as gender equality was concerned. The women's organizations led by the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Kenya, claim that the nominations of the five judges was not gender sensitive and want them stopped form assuming office until the anomaly is rectified. Other organizations that moved to court are the Centre for Rights, Education and Awareness, The League of Kenya Women Voters, Women in Law and Development in Africa, Caucus for Women Leadership and the Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW). The President had gazetted the appointments of Justices Philip Tunoi, Jackton Ojwang, Mohammed Ibrahim and lawyers Dr Smokin Wanjala and Njoki Ndung'u to the coveted posts of Judges of the first ever Supreme Court in Kenya. Follow the author at https://twitter.com/momanyibernard

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