This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
The United Kingdom and the United States, two nations renowned for their commitment to the rule of law, have recently witnessed a severe erosion of integrity and propriety in governance. This crisis has been exemplified by the actions of their leaders, who have been accused of abusing power and disregarding the law.
On September 28, 2019, the UK Supreme Court took the unprecedented step of quashing Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to prorogue Parliament, effectively denying lawmakers the ability to scrutinize the government's plans to exit the European Union. This move was seen as a travesty of the law, and the court's decision was a significant blow to the Prime Minister's authority.
Across the Atlantic, the US House of Representatives has launched an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump's alleged abuse of power. The inquiry centers on allegations that Trump pressured the Ukrainian President to dig up dirt on his political rival, Joe Biden, and may have used leverage of American aid to achieve this end. If true, this would be a grave assault on the rule of law by a President.
These events serve as a stark reminder of the inadequacies of the law in preventing leaders from abusing their power. While the law can provide some level of restraint, it is ultimately the character and integrity of those in leadership positions that determine the fate of a nation. Kenya, too, has faced similar challenges, and it is imperative that we focus on ensuring that our electoral process produces leaders of principle who will not exploit the law for ulterior motives.
