Chief Justice David Maraga has announced his retirement plans ahead of proceeding to terminal leave on Friday, December 11, 2020.
CJ Maraga revealed that he would leave Nairobi to retire in Nakuru, a town he described as having a special place in his heart.
"I plan to retire here in Nakuru where I practised law for 25 years before I became a judge,” he explained during a function where he opened a Ksh347 million court building on Friday, December 4.
“Nakuru has a special place in my heart and that is why I decided to have this function today as the last major public engagement of my career as the CJ,” he added.
Maraga also announced that the ceremony to hand over power to the next Chief Justice would be held on January 10, 2021.
During the function in Nakuru, the president of the supreme court recounted how his tenure had seen the expansion of the capacity of the judiciary.
He noted that he had overseen the opening of 43 High Court stations in 42 counties, adding that he plans on opening three magistrate court stations before he leaves.
The Ksh347 million courthouse in Nakuru will hold 8 courtrooms and 12 chambers for the judges.
The building will also host offices for partners of the Judiciary such as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, police officers, probation officers as well as the prisons department.
The CJ currently lives in his Karen home, Nairobi where he settled after refusing to occupy the main house designated by the government.
The Ksh310 million Runda house remains unoccupied despite its pristine and arboreal city neighbourhood.
The house previously belonged to former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama who sold it to the government in 2013.
Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi stated in January 2020 that the mansion was currently inhabitable.
