In the first tirade since the handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta, opposition chief Raila Odinga on Wednesday hit out at the Interior CS Dr. Fred Matiang’i for attacking the Judiciary.
Raila in a statement took issues with the CS over his utterance before Parliament’s Security Committee on Tuesday where he said there was an “evil clique” of judicial officers frustrating government’s work.
A visibly agitated CS when told the MPs that he was dismayed by the conduct of about five judges who have exhibited unethical behavior in dispensation of their mandate as judges.
“There is a clique in the Judiciary that has been captured by the civil society and activist lawyers who want to embarrass the government. It is an evil clique of judicial officers who want to drag us by the collar through trial by the public court,” lamented the CS before the Paul Koinage (Kiambaa) led committee.
But the NASA leader yesterday described this outburst by the CS as the “personification of impunity” which at best; undermines the rule of law.
“The CS appeared before Parliament to answer questions pertaining to abuse of rights of citizens and undermining the rule of law. Instead, he came out as the personification of impunity. Parliament should not allow itself to be a platform for State officers to make attacks on other arms of government,” Raila said.
Raila noted that Matiang’i’s remarks were reckless and irresponsible and goes against the norms agreed on between him and the President in the March 9 truce at Harambee House.
“In our statement to the nation, President Kenyatta and I urged every leader and every Kenyan to embrace the responsibilities they know to be theirs and help the nation reconcile and make progress. Dr Matiang’i failed terribly in this.”
He asked the CS to handle his mandate with decorum and cease making unfounded claims on his predecessors, some, allied to Odinga when he served as the Prime Minister.
Raila was referring to the CS’ claim that former Immigration Minister, Otieno Kajwang-now deceased, irregularly issued Kenyan citizenship to lawyer Miguna Miguna.
“He should correct what he believes is a mistake and change the processes of the ministry so that those mistakes do not compromise the State,” remarked Raila adding, Matiang’i should be “more civil and sober” in line with the unity deal between struck between the two political protagonists.