The President's remarks on the appointment of CJ David Maraga were "unfortunate", the Judicial Service Commission has said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said in March that Maraga, Education CS Fred Matiang’i and CBK chairman
Mohamed Nyaoga were appointed as the government has Kisii county's interests at heart.
Maraga was
as Chief Justice succeeding Willy Mutunga.
JSC secretary Anne Amadi said Uhuru's statement was erroneous and substantially misleading to the public.
"This
could have been
misconstrued to imply a political hand in the appointment of the Chief Justice," Amadi said in a statement on Monday.
The constitutional role of the Head of State on the appointment of the Chief Justice is exercised within the strict and limited provisions of Article 166.
"There is neither room nor opportunity for the President to discharge this function in a political manner," Amadi said.
"Any implication, deliberate or inadvertent, that the appointment of the CJ was part of a political scheme is a grave distortion of law and fact."
The secretary noted the Judiciary's
independence is fundamental, paramount and non-negotiable.
"The Judiciary, in exercise of its authority, is only subject to the constitution and the law, and not to any person or authority," she added.
During his tour,
Uhuru told Kenyans to shun leaders who spread propaganda and lies that Jubilee has done nothing.
The President said his administration has done a lot since 2013 but some individuals cannot see and appreciate this.
He spoke at Igonga in Bonchari constituency, where he launched the upgrading to bitumen standard of the Nyamira-Igonga-Nyabioto road and the Nyamatutu-Igonga-Riana-Iyabe-Chisaro-Montonto-Seneka feeder road.