Constitutional lawyer Miguna Miguna and several opposition leaders warned President William Ruto against defying the court's decision to nullify the Housing levy.
Miguna, who was once an avid supporter of Ruto, argued that Ruto was out to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, by undermining the Judiciary led by Chief Justice Martha Koome.
The Judiciary, he argued, was independent as enshrined in the Constitution, thus, Ruto needed to respect the rule of law.
"Stop threatening the judiciary. Remember that without the Judiciary, you wouldn’t be President. You can’t pretend to protect the independence of the Judiciary through threats. If you know thieves stealing public money, let us see them charged, tried, and convicted. However, we say no to autocracy," Miguna stated.
Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo further urged CJ Koome to protect the Judiciary against the threats issued by Ruto. Amollo remarked that Ruto disregarded court rulings that were not in his favour.
"I hope CJ Martha Koome will reconsider the soft approach to this regime and assert the full authority of courts. If this is not done, he will rig 2027 and disobey Supreme Court orders contrary," the Senior Counsel stated.
Azimio Spokesperson Makau Mutua also advised the President to overhaul the Judiciary by initiating the ouster of all the corrupt officials rather than threaten the judges.
Additionally, lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi advised Ruto to implement judicial reforms to ensure his manifesto was not sabotaged by corrupt judiciary members.
KANU's secretary for political affairs, Fredrick Okango, added that "The Executive head has used his status to threaten the Judiciary of Kenya and its officers. The Executive has categorically said that they shall not obey forthwith any court orders against their punitive and heartless policies and plans. This means that they've basically trashed the judicial authority that is derived from the people and as provided for in the supreme law of the land.
"The Kenyan Judiciary must urgently stand up against these threats to the Judiciary and its officers. In the meanwhile, where is the Chief Justice of Kenya, Hon Martha Koome? Where is the president of the Law Society of Kenya when a rogue regime is threatening the Judiciary?
On Tuesday, during a burial in Nyandarua, Ruto argued that the housing program that was nullified by the courts was enshrined in the Constitution.
He added that he would not allow a few corrupt individuals who have bribed judges to sabotage his manifesto and development plans for Kenyans. The Head of State accused those blocking his agenda of misusing public funds.
"We are a democracy and we protect and respect the independence of the Judiciary. What we will not allow is judicial tyranny and impunity, I believe that the Judiciary can not be abused by a few corrupt officials," he noted as his allies accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of sponsoring the lawsuits against the Housing Levy.
The High Court, in November, declared unconstitutional the 1.5 per cent levy Ruto was charging Kenyans but stayed the ruling until Jan 10 to allow for the government to appeal the decision.
