Judges in the country are set to operate under tough restrictions following what appears to be a plan by parliament to revisit the Judiciary.
According to the People Daily, the new measures are part of the Judicial code of conduct and ethics tabled by Majority Leader Aden Duale in parliament on Thursday.
Under the new rules, judges will not be allowed to have bank accounts outside the country or accept loans.
Besides, judges will also not be allowed to take part in tenders nor participate in gainful employment.
They will also be responsible for their use of social media and will not engage in private matters in court.
Furthermore, judges and magistrates will also be banned from engaging in consultancies or offering legal advice either directly or indirectly.
The new code of conduct also restrains the members of the jury from discussing matters pending in court and upholding integrity when dealing with court cases.
"A breach of this conduct amounts to misconduct for which a Judicial officer or judicial staff may be subjected to disciplinary proceedings," the code of conduct reads in part.
The code of conduct will also give Chief Justice David Maraga powers to take administrative action on minor infractions and administrative lapses by the judges and judicial officers.
Serious issues affecting judges and other staff will be addressed by any person lodging complains to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The envisioned changes to the code of conduct come at a time when Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mbete Mwilu is facing legal battles over loans allegedly procured irregularly.
