- He challenged the judiciary to be creative and imaginative and develop jurisprudence that will enhance climate action.
- The three-day summit on Greening of Judiciaries in Africa seeks to increase the level of awareness among the judiciary on environmental issues.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto stayed out of politics Monday during a Nairobi conference that brought together Judiciary heads from the African continent.
Ruto who was the chief guest during the event instead emphasized the need to address climate change which he said has continued to bring devastating effects.
In line with the resolution by the UN General Assembly that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) renders an opinion obligating the world’s biggest emitters to take responsibility for their actions, Ruto told the judiciary to follow suit.
“I equally challenge our judiciary to be creative and imaginative and develop jurisprudence that will enhance climate action based on the polluter-pays-principle,” Ruto said.
He said the livelihoods, security and development in the region remain in danger unless we “collectively wage aggressive combat to reverse the situation through policies and other institutional action.”
The interventions, he said, if implemented will help in mitigation, enhance adaptation and build resilience.
The three-day summit on Greening of Judiciaries in Africa seeks to increase the level of awareness among the judiciary on environmental issues.
It is themed “Strengthening the Role of Judiciaries in Tackling Climate Change in Africa”.
In his address to the nation on Sunday, Ruto prevailed upon Azimio's Raila Odinga to call off the protests noting that the recent protests have 'badly' tainted the country’s image.
"Our country's image and history in the league of modern nations has been at stake in the last two weeks," he said.
He said his administration has already put in place measures to attract investors and will not allow it to be derailed by acts of violence.
"These measures and policies for investment will create opportunities for millions of young people to realize their potential among many of the other issues that we are doing as a government," he said.
More than 26 Chief Justices from African countries, judges, judicial officers, and judicial educators are attending the high-level forum.
Also present were the two former CJs Willy Mutunga and David Maraga who CJ Martha Koome praised for setting up the judiciary’s transformational framework.
Ruto said his administration has taken necessary measures to ensure every ministry, department and agency aligns its policies, strategies, programmes and projects with the green agenda.
He said such institutional reconfigurations and economic resets emanating from structural changes by respective countries will make Africa the world’s green economic superpower.