AfricaPress-Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga have paid tribute to retired Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, who passed away earlier today.
Former Chief Justice Evan Gicheru died on Saturday morning aged 79. He was Kenya’s Chief Justice for eight years having been appointed by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2003.
The Head of State describe the former CJ as “a towering legal mind and a highly accomplished judge.”
He said Kenya had lost a great leader whose contribution to the development of the legal sector especially the independence of the Judiciary has continued to sharpen the country’s democracy.
“It is sad that we have lost one of the greatest legal minds we have had in our country. Justice Gicheru worked tirelessly during his time at the helm of the Judiciary to ensure that the country’s democracy continued to thrive,” he said, adding the late Chief Justice knew the importance of having an independent Judiciary.
The twelfth, and the longest serving CJ in Kenya, Justice Gicheru is famous for his role in entrenching the Judiciary independence in Kenya ending the time when it took orders from the Executive.
The President pointed out that the major reforms undertaken by Justice Gicheru in the Judiciary have continued to be a source of hope for many Kenyans giving confidence that all citizens are equal before the law.
“As a country we will forever be grateful for the judicial reforms Justice Gicheru pushed through during his successful tenure as the top judge. He brought freshness to the legal system and will be remembered for his relentless fight against impunity and corruption in the corridors of justice,” Uhuru said.
ODM leader Raila Odinga also joined other leaders in mourning a man who swore his once political rival President Mwai Kibaki at dusk in the wake of the highly contested 2007 presidential election.
In a message posted on his official Twitter page, Raila said the former CJ did his best under difficult circumstances.
“I remember Rtd Chief Justice Evan Gicheru as a great legal mind and the man on whose shoulders we placed the burden of returning the country to the Rule of Law after the 2002 transition. He did his best under difficult circumstances,” Raila said.
Gicheru left office in 2011 in changes that saw Justice Willy Mutunga take over.
