Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President, Nelson Havi, on Friday criticised Chief Justice Martha Koome for responding to her predecessor, Willy Mutunga, who had called on judicial officers to go on a strike.
According to Havi the CJ should not have responded to Mutunga because it was common sense that judges cannot go on strike.
“Chief Justice Martha Koome lacks emotional intelligence. She needed not respond to Retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga’s call for Judges to go on strike. It is common sense that Judges cannot go on strike,” Havi said.
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Koome had issued a statement castigating the call by former CJ Willy Mutunga for judges to go on strike over the government’s failure to obey court orders.
The CJ disapproved with Mutunga, with the current CJ asserting her obligation is to defend the doctrines of the constitution.
Koome further said that the implications of calling for a judicial strike are far-reaching, adding that it is imperative that the holders of those offices examine the implications of that regrettable incitement that would disrupt access to justice for millions of Kenyans.
The CJ could not fathom how Mutunga was inciting judges to down their tools, given he served as the country’s first Chief Justice under the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and took an oath to diligently serve the people and the Republic of Kenya and to impartially do justice.
In an earlier statement by Mutunga, the former CJ urged judges in the country to go on strike over what he termed as an incessant disrespect of the Judiciary by the Executive arm of government.
Mutunga said that it is high time the Executive showed respect to the Judiciary, saying that the stand-off between the two arms of government would lead to a more worrying situation.
