Wednesday, May 19, 2021 – The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) has asked the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Interior CS Fred Matiang’i to triple their security after five of their members received threats following the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) ruling.
In a statement yesterday, KMJA members revealed that the five judges had been receiving threats since declaring BBI null and avoid in a May 13 ruling.
“On 13th Day of May 2021, a five-judge bench of the High Court of Kenya delivered the now-famous “BBI Judgment” which has elicited various discussions.”
“That judgment has since been appealed against.”
“We urge everyone to allow the Court of Appeal deal with the appeal.”
“In the event of dissatisfaction, a further appeal be made to the Supreme Court without resorting to any personal attacks.”
“KMJA is therefore alarmed by the daily attacks directed at the individual judges who sat on that bench.
“Such attacks are an affront to the decisional independence of the Judges and the rule of law,” read the letter in part.
The judges are now demanding that investigations be opened into the attacks and that its members should be provided with security by the state.
“We call upon the Inspector General of Police to immediately investigate the said utterances with a view to prosecuting the culprits.”
“The Cabinet Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government should immediately assure Kenyans that our Judges and Judicial Officers are safe given the sensitive nature of their assignments.”
“We also urge the relevant officers of the government to immediately engage the judiciary to ensure the security of all judges, magistrates, and kadhis,” they stated.
After the ruling, politicians, mostly allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, expressed their displeasure in the ruling.
E! News Blog
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