End the noise and act on graft claims

For more than a week now, Kenyans have been bombarded with unsubstantiated claims about corruption in the Judiciary.

From church pulpits to funerals, the chorus has been the same.

Granted, there are judicial officers who are corrupt, but there are also excellent, morally-upright and public-spirited judges who make decisions based on evidence alone.

The Judiciary is a major pillar of democracy without which our claims of an open and transparent government will sound hollow and vacuous. Justice is our shield and defender, the national anthem and rallying call makes obvious.

Our laws spell out methods through which wicked judicial officers should be removed from office.

Our politicians must by now know that blanket condemnation cannot wash. They know only too well that they should present a petition to the Judicial Service Commission with details of the transgressions of a judge or magistrate.

None of the politicians making the strident and public accusations have presented any evidence against any judge.

That must be the clear illustration that the noise is only meant to bully and scare judges.

 The concerted efforts to demonise judges has major negative effects beyond the short-term goals of politicians shouting abuse and questioning the character of our judges.

The entire nation stands to lose if public confidence in the Judiciary is eroded.

In the past 20 years, Kenyan judges and magistrates have been vetted and the unsuitable ones removed.

Instead of destroying an entire institution, the Executive can initiate another purge to get rid of rotten apples.

Only concrete action will get the public behind the current noisy campaign.

Quote of the Day: “Power is not merely shouting aloud. Power is to act positively with all the components of power.”

Gamal Abdel Nasser

The Egyptian military officer and politician was born on January 15, 1918