Master of double talk? Ichungwa caught in contradictory statements about the judiciary
Kimani Ichung’wah, the Kikuyu MP, has been involved in a controversy due to his seemingly contradictory statements about the judiciary.
In a recent NTV interview, Ichung’wah criticised what he perceived as corruption in the judiciary. He stated, “When we say we shall not just speak about corruption but we shall act, that doesn’t exclude officers in the judiciary that are corrupt. That is why I said we are not speaking about the judiciary but corrupt judicial officers. Those shall fall.”
Further, the National Assembly Majority Leader reassured that the Kenya Kwanza government is committed to its anti-corruption stance, and this includes addressing corruption within the judiciary.
He emphasised, “This is not a threat. The judiciary knows they are protected by the Constitution. Those who do their work in line with the constitution and do not subject themselves to cartels or corruption, not taking bribes are safe.”
Also read: ‘You warned me!’ – Defiant Ruto vows to weed out corrupt judges
However, this recent stance is in stark contrast to a tweet Ichung’wah made on May 15th, 2021 at 12:13 pm, where he said, “Having Intimidated, Coerced, Threatened & Bribed County Assemblies, Parliament, Governors etc, Please STOP threatening the Judiciary. It is the People’s last line of defence against Dictatorship. Beyond them (Judiciary) it shall be the people’s REVOLT that will be undesirable to you.”
This comes after a notable shift in the Kenya Kwanza administration towards the judiciary.
President William Ruto has publicly declared his intention to ignore certain court rulings or injunctions, particularly those he perceives as obstructing his government’s agenda, and which he attributes to ‘corrupt’ judges.
In a recent criticism of the judiciary, Dr Ruto expressed his view that legal challenges and the resultant court orders against his administration are attempts to hinder his government’s initiatives.
He emphasised that his focus on providing decent housing and affordable healthcare are not just policy objectives, but rights enshrined in the constitution.
This stance highlights a growing tension between the executive and the judiciary in the context of implementing the government’s agenda.