MOMBASA, Kenya, Aug 23 – The Judiciary has struck a deal with the National Assembly to push for new legislation protecting judges from cyberbullying.
The proposal was unveiled during the inaugural Judiciary–National Assembly Joint Forum held in Mombasa on Friday under the theme “Social Transformation through Institutional Comity.”
Delegates cautioned that misinformation and coordinated online attacks against judges undermine judicial independence, erode public trust, and weaken Kenya’s democracy.
Opening Friday’s Mombasa forum alongside National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Chief Justice Martha Koome warned that cyber harassment not only targets individuals but threatens judicial independence.
Both leaders pledged to end years of strained relations between Parliament and the Judiciary, committing to embrace “constructive interdependence” while upholding separation of powers.
“The National Assembly will also explore a legal framework to protect judges and judicial officers from cyberbullying, safeguarding their independence and dignity,” a communiqué shared by the Judiciary stated.
The forum identified legislation to curb cyberbullying as a priority, alongside the Judiciary Academy Bill, 2025, and the reintroduction of the Tribunals Bill, 2023.
The move follows months of concern from judges over online abuse.
Koome has previously disclosed that she was a frequent victim of cyberbullying, describing a wave of targeted online attacks against her in December 2024 as an attempt to intimidate her into silence or resignation.
“When I speak, I always confess that I’m a victim of cyberbullying—or is it called technologically facilitated gender-based violence?” Koome said at the time.
Long-running feud
Tensions escalated in January 2024 when the Supreme Court barred prominent lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi from appearing before it, citing his relentless attacks on the integrity of judges.
Abdullahi, popularly known as Grand Mullah, dismissed the ban as a “badge of honour,” doubling down on his claims that the country’s top court was “corrupt.”
The apex court said Abdullahi’s constant vilification of its judges made it “untenable” for him to seek justice before the very institution he accused of graft.
The decision followed months of his open criticism of Chief Justice Koome and other justices, including accusations that they were enablers of corruption.
That feud reignited in May 2025 when Abdullahi launched a fresh attack on the Judiciary after the Office of the Chief Registrar asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate him for “persistent baseless allegations” of judicial corruption on social media.
The Chief Registrar’s letter cited Abdullahi’s May 15 post in which he alleged—without evidence—that a Supreme Court judge had accepted a Sh4 million bribe to influence a Court of Appeal case, only for the litigants to lose.
