CJ Martha Koome Wants Uhuru Impeached after Parliament Adjourned

“A declaration that the appropriate remedy for the violation of Articles 3(1) & 166(1)(b) of the Constitution is the impeachment of the president or any other order that secures direct accountability of the President,” Koome said.

 Her statement comes barely two days after the parliament that could have been tasked to Impeach president Kenyatta was adjourned on Thursday 9th June ahead of the August 9 General Election. Additionally, president Kenyatta only has Eith weeks to end his 10 years ruling tenure.

The CJ also wants the court to rule that the only way to resolve the alleged infringement is for the President to be impeached. Ms. Koome has also declined to play the President's role in an appeal against a High Court order directing Mr. Kenyatta to appoint the six justices and, if he fails, the CJ to take over the responsibility.

Article 145 of the Constitution, which deals with impeachment, stipulates that an impeachment motion proposed by a member of the National Assembly must receive the support of at least a third of all members (232 MPs). CJ Koome claims that the President has broken Article 3(1) of the Constitution, which provides that "everyone has a commitment to respect, uphold, and defend this Constitution."

In Regards to article 166(1)(b) of the constitution,that CJ Koome states that Mr. Kenyatta had Violated indicates that the President shall appoint all other judges, in accordance with the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission".

However, Justices George Odunga, Aggrey Muchelule, Prof Joel Ngugi, and Weldon Korir, who were promoted to the Court of Appeal by the JSC, are at the center of the legal squabble. Evans Makori, the chief magistrate, and Judith Omange, the deputy registrar of the High Court, have both been upgraded to High Court judges.

                                     CJ Martha Koome. PHOTO TWITTER

They were nominated by JSC among 35 others in July 2019, by then Chief Justice David Maraga, who left office in January 2021 after his tenure had ended. He was the chairperson of the JSC at the time.

The CJ's decision to demand President Uhuru's resignation has elicited a range of emotions from Kenyans on social media, with some claiming that CJ Koome is playing juvenile games on them by asking for Uhuru's resignation now.

Cj koome waited till Parliament Adjournment to Finally confirm Uhuru needs to be Impeached ????

— Heisenberg (@DrJuma_M) June 11, 2022

Interesting. CJ Martha Koome says president Uhuru Kenyatta should be impeached. She waited until Parliament was dissolved. Someone is playing with our minds.

— Brian omwenga (@OmwengaBK) June 11, 2022