This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
Kenya's Chief Justice Slams Politicians, Corruption, and Impunity ¶
On June 22, 2019, Chief Justice David Maraga delivered a scathing address to the Oxford Union Conference in the United Kingdom, where he accused the Kenyan political elite of cherry-picking provisions of the Constitution to safeguard their personal or sectarian interests.
Maraga stated that despite Kenya's Constitution being praised as one of the most progressive and transformative in Africa, the country still struggles with corruption, vote rigging, and the lack of laws to promote gender equality.
He pointed out that the country's biggest problem lies with the politicians, tenderpreneurs, and bad behavior that has taken root over time.
“Left on their own, the legislative and executive arms of government, comprising mainly politicians and social elites, will implement the Constitution in an arbitrary manner, cherry-picking the easier and non-contentious provisions, always safeguarding their personal or sectarian interests. That is exactly what they have done in Kenya,” said Maraga.
Maraga also criticized the country's patriarchal society, stating that the cause of the ping-pong game by Parliament over the Two-thirds Gender Rule is the patriarchal nature of the society.
He added that the gender rule has not been enacted because such legislation will disrupt patriarchal interests of the political elite.
Maraga also spoke about the country's moral fabric, stating that it is rotten, and that the country is still reeling from corruption despite being a religious nation.
“Plundering public resources by the few elites in Kenya is the order of the day yet most Kenyans are living below the poverty line,” Maraga said.
He also stated that he still stands with the majority Supreme Court's decision annulling the August 2017 Presidential election.
Maraga's speech was published in The Standard on June 22, 2019.
