This archive report was first published on 13 December 2019.
On November 4, Chief Justice David Maraga publicly stated that he would choose which state functions to attend, citing the Executive's alleged belittling of his office and the Judiciary.
True to his word, Maraga skipped the Jamhuri Day celebrations on December 12, leaving an empty seat with his name tag at Nyayo Stadium. The event marked 56 years of Kenya's independence, with all other arms of government represented except the Judiciary.
Netizens have hailed Maraga for standing by his word, with many praising him on social media for being a man of his word. Some, however, expressed concerns that the bad blood between the Executive and the Judiciary could hamper service delivery.
The dispute between the two arms of government dates back to 2017, when the Judiciary declared President Uhuru's victory "invalid, null and void". Since then, the Executive has been accused of mistreating the Judiciary, with Maraga claiming he was not treated with dignity during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Mombasa.
