Africa-Press – Kenya. Former Chief Justices David Maraga and Willy Mutunga have come under heavy condemnation from the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation following their recent sentiments on the Judiciary’s independence and violation of the constitution.
In a statement, the organisation highlighted that the duo had bypassed the newly sworn-in Chief Justice Martha Koome in their bid to impose their own legal philosophy and interpretation of the Constitution.
By doing this, the women stated that the two CJ’s were implying that Koome was ineffective and unable to carry out duties with certain standards.
“We never thought a time would come when a woman of Martha Koome’s calibre, a Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya no less, would be disrespected,” the statement reads in part.
“This ‘mansplaining’ behaviour is common in many workplaces, where men by their speech act as though women are incapable of understanding complex concepts unless the men give detailed explanations.”
The organisation repudiated Koome’s behaviours and indicated that it stood in solidarity with Koome.
They vowed to do more to alter altitudes and mainstream women’s excellence in society.
“Until women are respected as equal members of this society, the fight for gender equality is far from over.
“Therefore, we strongly condemn the chauvinism displayed by Mutunga and Maraga. As supposed defenders of justice, they should know better. Their treatment of their successor recks casual misogyny and disrespect not just of her but all women in this country.”
The organisation’s sentiments came days after both Mutunga and Maraga expressed their displeasure with President Uhuru Kenyatta and accused him of disregarding the law.
Mutunga wrote a letter to the president saying that resignation was an option for all public servants who did not follow the constitution to the latter.
“Constitution donates to them, or find the exercising of those powers annoyingly inconvenient, they have no business continuing to occupy those offices,” he stated.
Maraga, on the other hand, accused Uhuru of being responsible for the operational crisis that rocked the judiciary and hampered service delivery for failing to appoint the 40 judges.
