This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
On June 9, 2020, a heated exchange between the Executive and the Judiciary erupted, with Chief Justice David Maraga accusing President Uhuru Kenyatta of ignoring court orders.
Attorney General Kihara Kariuki has since defended the President, stating that the Chief Justice has breached established norms of government and direct lines of communication between the offices of CJ, AG, and the President.
The dispute centers around several issues, including the failure of President Kenyatta to swear in 41 judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) since July 2019.
Chief Justice Maraga had accused the Executive of failing to settle claims arising from court cases, amounting to Sh1 billion, with many of the decrees arising from personal injury claims by victims of road accidents caused by government vehicles.
He posed the question, 'How can we expect God to bless our nation when we are so callous to the most desperate in our society?'
However, Attorney General Kariuki countered that the CJ has failed to cultivate the spirit of constructive consultation and has instead resorted to grandstanding and populist brinkmanship.
He added that the government has always remained committed to implementing all court orders, to the extent lawfully practicable, save for instances where there are appropriate stay orders and pending appeals.
He also stated that in the current financial year, the government has paid out Sh1.6 billion in pending bills and a further Sh113 million is being processed for payment.
