Petition to oust Supreme Court judges is "dangerous, absurd"- Lenaola

Speaking to law students at the University of Embu, Lenaola dismissed the petition filed by former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi as "absurd," arguing that it seeks to dismantle an entire arm of government. He questioned the logic behind the move, pointing out the constitutional chaos it could create.

"If this petition succeeds and all judges are removed, what happens next? The law grants judges the right to appeal their removal, meaning we would have the bizarre scenario of Supreme Court judges appealing to themselves. That’s the level of absurdity we must confront," he remarked.

Lenaola made it clear that he has no issue stepping aside if found unfit for office but insisted that judicial accountability should not be reduced to social media theatrics.

"I am not afraid of going home if proven I am worthless, but it must be based on serious grounds. You don’t bring down the Supreme Court because of online games. Collapsing an entire arm of government is dismantling democracy itself," he warned.

He argued that any allegations should be directed at individual judges rather than a blanket attack on the entire bench.

"When we take the oath of office, we do it alone, not as a group. If you want to remove a judge, present credible evidence against them individually," he stated.

The petition targets Chief Justice Martha Koome, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, and Justices Smokin Wanjala, Mohammed Ibrahim, Njoki Ndung’u, Isaac Lenaola, and William Ouko. The legal battle has ignited heated debate, with constitutional experts questioning its feasibility.

Lenaola urged Kenyans to trust the Judiciary and resist efforts to weaken it, emphasizing that public confidence in the Supreme Court is vital for democracy and the rule of law.