•International Commission of Jurists Kenya has cautioned Chief Justice Martha Koome against meeting President William Ruto for dialogue following the attack on the Judiciary.
•President Ruto on Monday held a meeting with Chief Justice Martha Koome at State House
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Opposition leader Raila Odinga has criticised the Monday meeting between Chief Justice Martha Koome and President William Ruto at State House, terming it irresponsible.
Speaking on Monday at the commissioning of the Maweni Water Project at Manda Primary School in Lamu, the opposition chief expressed concerns about the potential compromise of the judiciary and suggested that such discussions should have taken place in a neutral location.
"The Chief Justice's decision to meet with the President at State House is, in our view, an irresponsible move. If there is to be a dialogue, it should occur in a neutral setting," Raila said.
President Ruto held a meeting with Chief Justice Martha Koome at State House which is seen as a bid to end the stand-off between the Executive and Judiciary over corruption claims.
Some politicians and institutions have been against the talks between the Head of State and the Chief Justice
International Commission of Jurists Kenya had cautioned Chief Justice Martha Koome against meeting President William Ruto for dialogue.
ICJ chairperson Protas Saende said though there is interdependence of government arms, the Judiciary must maintain its independence, especially in issues related to the administration of justice.
"ICJ Kenya cautions the Judiciary not to participate in discussions that may compromise its autonomy in administering justice and usurp the disciplinary mandate of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)," the ICJ chair said.
Lawyer John Khaminwa has said that President William Ruto is opening a dangerous chapter in the judicial and legal history.
"No president has ever interfered with the judiciary. With tremendous respect to our President, he is opening a dangerous chapter," Khaminwa said.
"After his departure or when he ceases to be a president, these could become issues and he could find that some individuals may now want to press that these matters should again be looked at by the courts. Let's avoid that kind of issue."
Early this month President Ruto accused the Judiciary of teaming up with cartels to stall his legacy projects.
"I want to announce here that a few people with vested interests who are beneficiaries of corruption in NHIF are now ganging up with corrupt judicial officers to stall reforms so that fake hospital claims will continue," he said during burial in Nyandarua.
The utterances made on January 2, elicited reactions from several associations.
On January 15, CJ Koome said that the Judiciary wrote to Ruto seeking an audience with the view to establishing the genesis of his complaints against them.
The CJ said the Judiciary is ready to interrogate the concerns the President has with the system.
“He might have received information because we have various machinery and agencies for collecting information and we would like to engage him so that he can give us that information," Koome said.
“So we will be looking out for that dialogue, we have written and I believe that the President is going to give us an appointment.”
President Ruto later agreed to hold talks with the Judiciary.
The Head of State said he was ready for talks with Chief Justice Koome to address alleged corruption in the Judiciary.
“Mimi nataka nimwambie madam Chief Justice niko tayari kwa hayo mazungumzo,” Ruto said Tuesday in Nandi.
This translates to, "I want to tell the Chief Justice that I am ready for the talks."
He, however, said the discussion will involve the leadership of the three arms of government.
"I am ready for the conversation on how we are going to deal with vested interests, incompetence and corruption,” Ruto said.