Chief Justice David Maraga has for the first time publicly opened up on his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta after nullifying his election victory during the August 8 General Election.
In an interview on NTV, Mr. Maraga said that despite the scathing attacks he received from Mr. Kenyatta, theirs is a cordial relationship in which respect reigns.
Last year, President Kenyatta went on a rampage after the Maraga-led Supreme Court nullified his election following a petition filed by Opposition chief Raila Odinga.
A visibly angry head of state publicly disputed the decision of the Supreme Court and described the judges as crooks, (Wakora)
However, CJ Maraga divulged that he never took the insults to heart noting that he understands that Mr. Kenyatta was simply angry.
“When the President called us crooks he was speaking in the spur of the moment, I was not offended at all. You know, when someone wrongs you, you can react irrationally.
“However, his statements did not intimidate me at the CJ. I did want the rule of law required me to do and I continued with my duties fearlessly.
“They called me crooks but Kenyans are who will determine whether I am a crook or not,” he said.
Mr. Maraga added: “I do not have a problem with the president and I don’t think he has a problem with me either. If he had a problem I do not think he would have honored several Judiciary invites.”
Maraga insisted that his main objective while delivering the presidential petition ruling was to ensure that Kenyans are allowed to witness a transparent electoral process.
He further confessed that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) refusal to open the servers as instructed by the court was what prompted the nullification.
“The major ground that annulled the presidential petition was transparency. Unless we are going to have transparency there aree going to be wrangles,” he said.
The Chief Justice went on to dismiss unverified reports that his bodyguards were withdrawn during the highly charged period and that his life was in danger.
“During Uhuru’s swearing-in, they also said that my house had been surrounded by more than 200 policemen. That was not true,” he said.
A confident CJ, who wants Kenyans to remember him as the Supreme Court’s President who gave his all, concluded by saying: “I cannot be intimidated to do what is against the law. If so I do not have the moral authority to the Chief Justice of Kenya.”
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