CJ Martha Koome Slams Withdrawal Of Her Security
The President of the Supreme Court is urging that Murkomen and Kanja restore her security detail
Marvin Chege 
UPDATE: Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has addressed concerns raised by Chief Justice Martha Koome regarding the recent recall of police officers from the Judiciary Police Unit, revealing that the officers were either sent on training after promotion or procedurally transferred to other stations.
The IG added that other officers have been reassigned to the Chief Justice as those who left prepare to start their promotional courses. Kanja who spoke hours after CJ Martha Koome accused the government, through the Ministry of Interior, of withdrawing her security detail, disclosed that there was poor coordination that led to the officers assigned to the Chief Justice leaving before the new ones arrived, causing the deployment gap.
He assured the public that new officers had been deployed to fill the gap. However, Judiciary staff claimed that their inquiries about the changes were brushed off before the situation escalated, adding to concerns about transparency in the process.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has had her security withdrawn by the Ministry of Interior, which has also reduced the number of officers in the Judiciary Police Unit.
The CJ protested the move on Thursday, January 23 to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, arguing that the move is tantamount to Executive interference with the Judiciary contrary to the Constitution’s demands for independence of both arms of government.
“The withdrawal of this security detail is an egregious affront to the principle of separation of powers. Such an action not only weakens trust in public institutions but also sets a perilous precedent, suggesting that key constitutional offices can be undermined through external pressure or retaliation,” CJ Koome said in a protest letter seen by Viral Tea.
CJ Koome held that the reduction of officers in the Judiciary Police Unit has exposed court users to danger. The Judiciary Police Unit was formed in 2021 and is under the National Police Service (NPS).
President William Ruto shakes hands with Chief Justice Martha Koome at State House, Nairobi on September 14, 2022. /FILE
She expressed concern at the 'weakening' of the Judiciary Police Unit, a critical component of judicial security, arguing that rather than being bolstered to meet growing demands, its capacity has been diminished by the withdrawal of a significant number of officers.
Koome believed that this not only exacerbates existing vulnerabilities but also jeopardizes the safety of judicial personnel and spaces across the country, thereby undermining the entire justice system's operational efficacy.
The CJ also revealed that the act of withdrawal sends an unmistakably damaging message: that those tasked with defending justice and constitutional liberties are susceptible to interference, adding that such a signal erodes public confidence in the Judiciary's impartiality, threatening its role as a check against abuse of power and its capacity to uphold the rule of law.
“By exposing the office (of the CJ) to vulnerabilities through withdrawal of security, the ability of the Judiciary to perform its constitutional mandate is gravely compromised.
"Security for the Chief Justice is not a personal privilege but a structural necessity to ensure the Judiciary can function autonomously and without fear. It serves as an institutional safeguard to protect judicial officers, premises, and processes from any threats that could impair the administration of justice," she continued.
The President of the Supreme Court is urging that Murkomen and Kanja restore her security detail, made up of police officers, unconditionally, and to strengthen the capacity of the Judiciary Police Unit.
"I therefore call upon the National Police Service and all relevant state actors to immediately and unconditionally restore the security detail of the Chief Justice. This step is not merely administrative but essential to reaffirming the Judiciary's independence, safeguarding the integrity of constitutional offices, and ensuring the continued growth of Kenya's democracy.
"Additionally, the capacity of the Judiciary Police Unit must be strengthened, not diminished, to address the pressing need for enhanced judicial security in a rapidly evolving environment and against the precedent of open attack of judges and judicial officers in open court," she appealed.
It is worth noting that on June 15, 2024, CJ Koome called on the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the Office of Inspector General of Police to deploy additional officers to reinforce the complement of Officers in the Judiciary Police Unit and to reorganise the Judiciary Police Unit into a fully-fledged Police Unit under the leadership of a senior commanding officer with a fully functional Secretariat.
This followed the murder of Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti during an active court session at the Makadara Law Courts. Kivuti was shot dead by a senior police officer, Londiani police chief Samson Kipruto, who was angered by the magistrate’s decision to deny his wife, Jennifer Wairimu, bail in a case before Ms Kivuti.
Officers from the Judiciary Police Unit, who were present shot the officer commanding station, dead as he fired at them. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) called for an autonomous Judiciary Police Unit with a presence in all court stations across the country.
