Nairobi News

Chief Justice Martha Koome was chauffeured in a state-of-the-art 2023 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport to the Madaraka Day celebrations in Embu County on Thursday.

The 2023 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GRSport costs up to Sh20 million ($143,364).

This marks a turnaround in the fortunes of the Chief Justice’s office, coming years after Koome’s predecessor, David Maraga, lamented that he could not get a new taxpayer-funded car despite requests.

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In November 2019, Mr Maraga stunned the country when he addressed a press conference and lamented that his office could not procure a new Mercedes Benz.

“The CJ has no Mercedes car, we were told it’s wastage yet the two Speakers of Parliament have them. I have a Mercedes 350, which is affordable to many while speakers of both houses have Mercedes 500. I have never owned a Mercedes myself and I am not bothered. Let the office be treated like the Speakers and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s office. We should not be taken to be like illegitimate children,” Mr Maraga ranted.

On that occasion, Justice Maraga also blamed the government of then President Kenyatta of mistreating him.

“Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries are cleared to enter the JKIA before the Chief Justice. Some CSs are saying I will go before the year ends, kumbe hii Kenya ina wenyewe (so this country has its owners)? I don’t serve under the mercy of anybody. They are trying to control the Judiciary. They want to make us puppets. Government cannot lead with impunity. It should respect court decisions,” Maraga lamented.

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Toyota says the 300 GR Sport model, which Justice Koome will use as her official vehicle, is the most powerful Land Cruiser yet, with a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

It features exclusive E-KDSS suspension, locking front and rear differentials, Gazoo Racing interior trim, matte grey 18-inch alloy wheels and glossy exterior detailing. It also has a sunroof, black roof rails, side steps, rear privacy glass, daytime running lights, fog lights and headlight washers.

According to the manufacturer, the GR Sport comes with the added benefit of an Adaptive High-Beam system, improving forward visibility when driving at night by making maximum use of the high beam headlights. The system uses a camera to detect the headlights and taillights of vehicles ahead, or bright environments such as city streets, and automatically controls the distribution of light to improve the safety and visibility of fellow drivers.

The 2023 model of the vehicle has a built-in refrigerated cooler, four-zone climate control, eight cup holders and four bottle holders. The vehicle also comes with ventilated seats for the first and second-row occupants and a heated steering wheel.

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