Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome assumed office on Monday amid high expectations from the public weary of delayed justice in the country’s courts. The East African nation’s first female Chief Justice will serve a ten-year non-renewable term.
A historic first for Kenya, Justice Koome took up the instruments of power to officially assume office as Kenya’s first female Chief Justice, President of the Supreme Court as well as the first woman in Kenya to head any of the three arms of government – the judiciary.
All that was not lost on her. Koome says, “Since my nomination was announced, it was aptly described by many as a momentous occasion in the history of this country. And indeed, it is because it is one that assures every girl or boy no matter their circumstances, that it is possible to keep dreaming.”
African Perspective on the appointment of Kenya’s first female Chief Justice:
Principles
Those who blazed the trail celebrating this moment. Retired Magistrate, Justice Effie Owuor, says they know Chief Justice Koome has principles.
“We saw you in court arguing cases, we know that you can be tough, we know that you have principles we are hoping that that goes on.”
Backlog of cases
Even before she gets down to work, Justice Koome’s in-tray is full according to her predecessors.
She must work to clear a backlog of cases, end corruption in the corridors of justice and work even harder to restore strained relationships between the judiciary and the other two arms of government, the legislature and the executive.
“At the interview, you were judged by a mere nine members of the JSC. From today going forward, the whole 50 million-plus Kenyans will be on your case and they will judge you fairly or unfairly. I refuse to engender the important office of Chief Justice, you are just Chief Justice now. Forget about being a woman, justice is neither female nor male, it could well be transgender,” Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilo says.
‘Guard the judiciary’
Justice Koome vowed to guard the judiciary’s independence and make it a place where both the poor and the rich find fairness and justice.
“For the scales of justice to function properly there can be no undue influence, not even a small stone or fingertip can be permitted to tip the scales.”
Kenyans will be watching closely how she carries out one of the main tasks that she must now take up fast appointing a bench to listen to an appeal lodged by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his political ally former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on their bid to amend the country’s Constitution through a referendum under what is known here as the Building Bridges initiative.
