Chief Justice Martha Koome has accused the government, through the Ministry of Interior, of withdrawing her security detail, calling it an attack on the Judiciary and her office.
In a letter addressed to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Police IG Douglas Kanja on Thursday, Koome expressed grave concern over the move. She argued that the decision not only insults the Judiciary’s independence but also puts judicial officers at risk across the country.
“The withdrawal of security for the Chief Justice undermines judicial independence, threatens institutional integrity, and endangers democratic progress,” Koome wrote in the letter. She stressed that security for her office is not a personal privilege but an essential part of ensuring the Judiciary can operate without fear or undue interference.
Koome also raised alarm over the Interior Ministry’s reduction of officers assigned to the Judiciary Police Unit, created in 2021 to provide security to judicial officers. She stated that this action weakens the unit’s capacity to protect the Judiciary, thereby putting judicial officers and their work at risk.
“This act sends a damaging message that those upholding justice are vulnerable to interference,” Koome added, warning that this could erode public confidence in the Judiciary’s ability to remain impartial and uphold the rule of law.
She called for the immediate restoration of her security detail and the Judiciary Police Unit to be strengthened to meet growing security demands, particularly with increasing threats to judges and judicial officers.
In response, Police IG Douglas Kanja explained that the officers were either undergoing training after promotion or had been transferred to other stations. He clarified that new officers have been reassigned to the Chief Justice as the former officers prepare for their courses.
