The National Council of Churches of Kenya has written a protest letter to Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and demanded that he intervenes and have the security detail of Justice Lawrence Mugambi reinstated immediately.
Justice Mugambi’s security was withdrawn allegedly because of the ruling he rendered on Friday committing acting Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, to a six-month jail term for contempt of court.
NCCK said the withdrawal of the judge’s security amounts to intimidation of a judicial officer and serves to undermine the rule of law.
“We therefore ask that in your capacity as the Cabinet Secretary provide directions to the Inspector General with regard to the provision of security services of Justice Mugambi be reinstated immediately,” NCCK said.
The acting IG snubbed court summonses a record eight times where he was required to appear in person to explain the whereabouts of three people who went missing in Kitengela in August after allegedly being abducted by police officers.
NCCK said that it is disturbing that the ruling against Masengeli arose from a case where the National Police Service failed to comply with a court ruling.
“We wish to call to mind that whenever state officers undermine the rule of law, they send a signal to the citizens that anarchy will be tolerated,” the religious body said.
“We find this to be the latest in a series of cases where state officials have deliberately disobeyed court orders without any consequences. This is the bedrock on which impunity is birthed and nurtured, to the detriment of the welfare of the nation.”
The letter was signed by NCCK chairperson Rev Elias Agola and Secretary General, Rev Canon Chris Kinyanjui.
They asked the CS to provide directions to the IG with regard to the constitutional requirement for the NPS and individual officers to comply with court rulings and respect judicial independence.
“We write to request your good offices to comply with the Constitution of Kenya, the mandate of the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, and save Kenya from anarchy,” NCCK said.
The letter was copied to Chief Justice Martha Koome.
It came moments after the CJ had in her own capacity as president of the Judicial Service Commission demanded the immediate reinstatement of Justice Lawrence Mugambi.
