NIS set aside budget to disband Supreme Court, fire Koome - Gachagua

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at a past event. (Photo: X/Rigathi Gachagua)

By Lucy Mumbi
Sunday, January 26, 2025

“There is even a bigger scheme to dismantle the Supreme Court ahead of 2027 elections. A budget has been set aside through NIS and all those petitions you are seeing against Martha Koome, and judges of the Supreme Court, are the machinations of the state.”

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that the state, through unnamed proxies, is plotting to remove Chief Justice Martha Koome from office.

Speaking during a church service at Meru PCEA church on Sunday, Gachagua also revealed that there is a plan to disband the Supreme Court before the 2027 general elections.

More To Read

“We have seen a scheme to remove Chief Justice Martha Koome from office,” Gachagua told the congregation, suggesting that the recent withdrawal of Koome’s security was part of the government’s strategy to intimidate her into resignation.

“I want to ask my sister, Lady Justice Martha Koome, don’t be intimidated. Stay put. You are doing a good job. Continue making sure this is a country of rule of law and constitutionalism,” he said.

Gachagua further alleged that the government, under President William Ruto, intends to dismantle the Supreme Court ahead of the 2027 elections, with a budget already set aside through the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to support this effort.

“There is even a bigger scheme to dismantle the Supreme Court ahead of 2027 elections. A budget has been set aside through the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and all those petitions you are seeing against Martha Koome, and judges of the Supreme Court, are the machinations of the state,” Gachagua said.

He suggested that the ultimate goal of these actions is to install a Supreme Court bench that would be more favourable to the executive.

“They would like to put a Supreme Court bench that is amiable to what those in power want. We cannot accept. We want to ask the international community to keep an eye on Kenya,” he added.

The claims come amid a controversy surrounding the judiciary. Recently, the Chief Justice’s security was withdrawn and later reinstated. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen described this as a routine process within the National Police Service (NPS), noting that Koome’s security personnel were due for promotions and training.

Murkomen also criticised the Chief Justice for publicly addressing the matter saying it was a “small issue”

“We had to work out how we are going to work together; unfortunately, our Chief Justice went too public about this issue. For clarity, the CJ should have called the IG to thank him for promoting the officers, but it has gone the other way,” Murkomen said.

The CS assured the public that only three officers had been recalled for training, leaving Koome with 29 officers for her personal protection and security duties.

“Even after the three officers were sent for training, the CJ was still going to remain with 29 officers; guarding her home, personal security, up to ten drivers among others,” he explained.

Further complicating matters for the Judiciary, a petition has been filed by former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi, seeking the removal of Koome and all Supreme Court judges. Havi accuses the judges of gross misconduct and misbehaviour, urging the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to press President Ruto to form a tribunal to remove the seven judges.

The JSC announced that it has received five petitions against judges since the start of 2025, including the petition filed by Havi on January 10, 2025, which was officially received on January 13, 2025.