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2017 KENYA ELECTIONS

Omtatah in court to have Maraga paid Sh10mn by MP Ngunjiri

The outspoken human rights crusader argued that Ngunjiri’s action has since portrayed Maraga’s credibility in bad light hence the need to have him compensated/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 19 – Human Rights Activist Okiya Omtatah on Tuesday moved to the High Court to seek orders to have Nyeri Town Member of Parliament Martin Ngunjiri Wambugu pay Chief Justice David Maraga Sh10 million as damages.

Omtatah who has since sued Ngunjiri said his action to move to court was largely informed by the steps taken by the lawmaker who filed a petition at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to have the leader of the apex court investigated after he invalidated the August 8 Presidential Election.

The outspoken human rights crusader argued that Ngunjiri’s action has since portrayed Maraga’s credibility in bad light hence the need to have him compensated.

Following the September 1 ruling the Judiciary has been on the spotlight with a section of aggrieved parties hitting out at the Maraga led institution for not considering ‘reason’ in the judgment by a majority of four out of six judges.

Omtatah has further accused Ngunjiri of profiling Maraga without demonstrating the violation him and his colleagues made after declaring Kenyatta’s victory as null and void.

Omtatah has pointed out that issues raised in Ngunjiri’s petition do not warrant any form of investigation to be undertaken against Maraga.

In the aforementioned petition, Ngunjiri accused Maraga of exercising a judicial coup by annulling the presidential election without substantial evidence to back the ruling.

In the petition, Ngunjiri also alleged that there is evidence that the CJ exerted undue pressure on his colleagues in order to have the election nullified.

Omtatah has said the continued attack and intimidation of Maraga and other judges gravely implicates on the confidence and ability of the said judicial officers to independently deliver on their constitutional obligation to deliver justice.

“Carelessly and without verifying whether the allegations were true the MP also attacked the school that trains officers of the court,” said Ngunjiri.

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The activist noted that state officers have a duty to assist and protect the courts in order to ensure their independence, impartiality, dignity, accessibility and effectiveness.

Omtatah has defended the Judiciary saying it is an independent organ purely mandated to provide an oversight role to the others arms of government.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee legislators requested Ngunjiri to drop his pursuit but it is still unclear if the Nyeri Town MP has officially withdrawn his petition from the Judicial Service Commission.

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