Cord team tells Uhuru to keep off court affairs

PHOTO | FILE Moses Wetang’ula (left), Senator James Orengo (centre) with Cord party leader Raila Odinga (right) during a past press conference. Orengo condemned Executive’s interference in Judiciary affairs by appointing a tribunal to investigate six members of the Judicial Service Commission on Saturday, November 30, 2013.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Siaya Senator James Orengo and his Homa Bay counterpart Otieno Kajwang asked President Kenyatta to respect the constitutional principle of separation of powers, and to stop meddling in the affairs of other arms of government.
• The leaders challenged President Kenyatta to address rising insecurity in Turkana, Kisumu, and Garissa, adding that the Nyumba Kumi initiative will not work if the root causes of insecurity are not addressed.

By MOSES ODHIAMBO
More by this Author

Cord senators on Saturday condemned Executive’s interference in Judiciary affairs by appointing a tribunal to investigate six members of the Judicial Service Commission.

Siaya Senator James Orengo and his Homa Bay counterpart Otieno Kajwang asked President Kenyatta to respect the constitutional principle of separation of powers, and to stop meddling in the affairs of other arms of government.

“We want the President to reconsider his decision to appoint a tribunal to investigate six members of the Judicial Service Commission; such interference must not be allowed,” Mr Kajwang said at the funeral of Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor’s parents in Kisumu County. “How do we expect the judiciary to operate without quorum at the JSC?”

The leaders challenged President Kenyatta to address rising insecurity in Turkana, Kisumu, and Garissa, adding that the Nyumba Kumi initiative will not work if the root causes of insecurity are not addressed.

Mr Orengo asked the Jubilee administration to uphold the rule of law in appointments, especially in the police service.

He also challenged the government to communicate its policy on security and challenges facing security agencies.

Homa Bay Women representative Gladys Wanga warned that the lack of quorum at JSC would slow down judicial reforms.

“We want to tell President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto that we are watching them; the energies being placed in fighting Parliament and the Judiciary should be used in the fight against corruption, insecurity and poverty,” she said.

Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch said the peace being preached by the government could only be achieved if security is restored in troubled areas.

“The government has failed to protect the people; we want the President to come to Parliament and give a blue print on their plan to tame insecurity.”

The leaders who attended the funeral accused the government of having a hand in the heightened insecurity to justify their none appearance at the ICC.

"We know that the government has a hand in the insecurity,” said Ugenya MP David Ochieng.