Lawyer Nelson Havi demands CJ Koome resign in two days over claims of rot in Judiciary
Koome has continuously distanced herself from the allegations of corruption and incompetence within the Judiciary.
Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has reiterated his call for the resignation of Chief Justice Martha Koome, giving her until Tuesday, January 14, to vacate office.
In a post on X on Sunday, Havi urged other Supreme Court judges to prevail upon Koome to heed the call to resign.
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“The deadline I gave for CJ Martha Koome to resign is 14-1-2025. The six other judges of the Supreme Court can prevail upon her to go,” he said.
He further warned that if the judges failed to act, he would file a petition for their removal at 9 am on Monday, January 13.
“If they do not, all seven will have to go. They have until tomorrow at 9 am, whereafter I will present a petition for their removal to the JSC,” Havi said.
Havi, alongside other senior counsel, has been calling for CJ Koome’s resignation, citing allegations of deep-rooted corruption within the Judiciary. His criticisms have also extended to judges missing crucial sittings without valid reasons or notice.
On December 6, 2024, Havi sent a letter to CJ Koome, raising concerns about High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi’s failure to deliver five out of seven scheduled rulings.
In the letter, Havi expressed doubts about Mugambi’s claim of illness and questioned the length of his indisposition.
“Today, Honourable Justice Lawrence Mugambi listed 7 judgments for delivery. Only two were delivered. He said that he was indisposed. He had a bad flu. I told him that the flu could not have lasted for six months since he fixed my matter for delivery of judgment,” Havi wrote.
Non-judicial duties
Havi also accused Koome of assigning non-judicial duties to judges, which he argued disrupted their judicial work.
“The ultimate responsibility for this sorry state of affairs in the Judiciary is you who assigns and/or authorises non-judicial duties to judges and magistrates, thereby interrupting scheduled judicial proceedings,” he said in his letter to Koome.
Despite his sharp criticisms of CJ Koome, Havi has denied having any personal vendetta against her.
“I have no evidence or claims of corruption or bribery against CJ Koome. My concern is her tolerance for corruption within the judiciary,” he said in a recent interview with Spice FM.
At the same time, Koome has continuously distanced herself from the allegations of corruption and incompetence within the Judiciary.
She has insisted that no one had ever approached her with a bribe during her 22 years as a judge and Chief Justice.
“In all these 22 years I’ve been a judge and a Chief Justice, nobody has ever approached me with a bribe. I would have them arrested,” Koome told the BBC.
She has challenged anyone making such accusations to present evidence to the security agencies or the Judicial Oversight Commission.
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