You're Abusing Your Power- Omtatah Tells Off Ruto Over Judiciary Attacks

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has told off President William Ruto regarding his relentless attacks on the Judiciary, fearing that this could damage the level of trust and confidence Kenyans have in the crucial arm of government led by Chief Justice Martha Koome.

Speaking during a presser on Friday, January 5, Omtatah urged Ruto to swallow his pride and remember the critical importance of the office he currently holds, which is the highest in the whole country.

He also called on the Head of State to seek out those who challenged his government policies in court to ask for forgiveness.

"The President should immediately style up, take a deep breath, and reflect on the all-important office he occupies in the Kenyan State, as our Chief Executive, and unreservedly apologise to the Judiciary," Omtatah demanded.

"He should also seek forgiveness from the diligent public-spirited Kenyans and institutions that have challenged his pet projects in court, and to the general public. He cannot afford to get drunk with power and begin behaving like some saturated swindler!"

Omtatah at the same time dared Ruto to table evidence of claims that the Judiciary harboured officers who were acting against their true mandate, alleging that the President possessed more intelligence channels and sources that are not accessible to ordinary mwananchi.

"His Excellency the President has a right under the law to be heard, and he also has the right to protest just as he has done, and he has access to intelligence, which other Kenyans and I don’t have.

"I look him straight in the eye and challenge him to table the evidence of bribe-taking against any judge or bribe-giving he has against any litigant and let the chips fall where they may," he went on.

Reminding Ruto that he is not above the law, the human rights activist cautioned him against behaving recklessly based on being drunk with power.

He deemed it a grave matter that the President did not possess evidence to either support his allegations or have an iota of evidence against the very same people he accused of engaging in bribery.

"Otherwise, he would have handed the lot over to law enforcement and thrown the book at them. He would not have presented himself before the public as a comical contradiction on two unstable stilts: Spewing fire and brimstone through his mouth but flailing his hands helplessly, hanging by the skin of his teeth onto an incoherent and pro-imperialist development agenda for the country," Omtatah fired on.

He warned Ruto against steering Kenya towards the same destructive path he has embarked on to take the country back to the dark days when nightmares such as the 2007/2008 post-election violence were visited upon innocent Kenyans because the protagonists had no confidence in the Judiciary.

Since Tuesday, President Ruto has been under fire from both the Law Society of Kenya and Chief Justice Martha Koome for his attacks on the Judiciary and hint of disobeying court orders.

LSK in particular threatened to stage nationwide demonstrations should Ruto refuse to withdraw his remarks.

However, through State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, Ruto said it was unfair to accuse him of impeding independence to the Judiciary yet it was he who appointed Court of Appeal judges who had earlier been denied appointments by the former administration.

On his part, Ruto revealed that a warning given to him by Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi forced him to lock horns with the Judiciary for harbouring corrupt elements.