LSK mulls court action against Ruto over judiciary remark

LSK President Eric Theuri now threatens to sue President William Ruto if he persists on the warpath with the judiciary.

Theuri says that they have put together a team of lawyers to study the president's speech in which he vowed to have orders undermining state projects ignored to see if it has amounted to a violation of the constitution.

“We have put together a strong team of lawyers to carefully review all the utterances of the president on this subject and to determine if they arise to the level of the gross of the constitution to mount a case against him at the High Court,” he said.

Speaking on Thursday at the LSK offices when he returned his nomination papers, Theuri used the opportunity to remind the president that gross violation of the constitution is an impeachable offence.

“This is a root we will not hesitate to explore to restrain him,” he stated.

Theuri whose two-year term is ending at the helm of the society is battling it out with lawyer Omwanza Ombati for the male representative to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Among the reforms he has promised to bring if elected include that of ensuring judges are better held accountable to deliver on their mandates.

This, he noted, will ensure issues such as corruption and case backlog are properly dealt with.

He said as lawyers, they all agree on a no-adjournment policy so that judges must also be forced to issue judgments within a specific time.

“This means there is no issuing of judgments and decisions on notice,” he added.

While appealing for support from the lawyers, Theuri said he is the best suited to represent lawyers at JSC given his profile, track record and integrity levels.

The election has been set for February 22.

Lawyers are set to elect their new president on the same day.

Those in the race for the coveted position are former vice president Caroline Kamende as well as current council member Njoki Mboce, former council member Berhard Ng'etich and city lawyer Peter Wanyama.