MP Ngunjiri Wambugu asks JSC to fire CJ David Maraga

What you need to know:

  • On Thursday, Nyeri Town MP NgunjiriWambugu filed a petition before the Judicial Service Commission seeking the removal of Kenya’s top judge.

Nairobi. Chief Justice David Maraga is under siege after the Supreme Court quashed the re-election of President Kenyatta.

On Thursday, Nyeri Town MP NgunjiriWambugu filed a petition before the Judicial Service Commission seeking the removal of Kenya’s top judge.

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In the 14-page petition, MrWambugu accuses the president of the top court in the land of “gross misconduct”.

The Jubilee lawmaker wants the Judicial Service Commission, the employer of judges and magistrates, to investigate the conduct of Judge Maraga since his appointment as Chief Justice.

MrWambugu accuses the CJ of instituting "a judicial coup" as the head of the third arm of government.

Wambugu claims Judge Maraga has been held captive by a group of NGOs who have been campaigning against Mr Kenyatta's presidency since 2013.

He alleges that Justice Maraga has allowed the non-profits to be embedded in the Judiciary and has been funding a number of programmes, including technical support and training at the Judicial Training Institute.

JUDGE IBRAHIM

He has also accused the CJ of preventing Justice Mohamed Ibrahim from participating in the hearing of the presidential petition filed by MrOdinga.

Justice Ibrahim fell sick on the second day of the hearing of the case.

The allegations come as Kenyans eagerly await the full judgement of the Supreme Court, which nullified the re-election of President Kenyatta. The Judges have nine days to deliver their decision in full.

Justice Maraga, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, SmokinWanjala and Isaac Lenaola nullified the election citing irregularities and illegalities in the transmission of results.

Judges NjokiNdung'u and JB Ojwang dissented.

The petition was also filed a day after Jubilee senators, in a House debate, planned a series of laws to trim powers of the Judiciary on elections.

President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto, angered by the nullification of their re-election, vowed to deal with Justice Maraga and the courts in case they are re-elected on October 17.