In a recent development, Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition, has raised serious allegations against President William Ruto, accusing him of plotting to influence the judiciary and appoint former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati as Chief Justice before the 2027 polls.

Odinga’s claims are rooted in a State House meeting between the Executive, led by President Ruto, and the Judiciary, led by Chief Justice Martha Koome. Odinga argues that this meeting is just one element of a larger plan by President Ruto to shape a judiciary favorable to his interests.

According to Odinga, an agreement reached during the meeting involves the appointment of judges sympathetic to Ruto, with specific focus on five High Court Judges and two Court of Appeal Judges. Ruto, he alleges, intends to handpick these judges and forward their names to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Odinga further asserts that Ruto has suggested the names of Wafula Chebukati and Ahmed Issack Hassan as potential Court of Appeal judges, with Chebukati later being elevated to the position of Chief Justice before the 2027 General Elections.

Odinga expresses concerns about the alleged influence of the Kenya Kwanza government on the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Koome, and warns of a broader strategy to appoint loyalists to the “problematic lower courts.”

He claims that Ruto’s maneuvers aim to weaken the judiciary’s ability to check Executive power and could lead to a dangerous concentration of control in the hands of the Kenya Kwanza government.

Highlighting Chief Justice Koome’s purported request for additional funding from State House, Odinga questions the financial independence of the judiciary, emphasizing that it should be funded through the constitutionally established Judiciary Fund.

Odinga calls for transparency from President Ruto and Chief Justice Koome regarding the details and intentions of their meeting. He believes that the upcoming vacancies for judges, to be advertised by the Judicial Service Commission, represent a pivotal moment that could impact the future direction of Kenya’s democratic institutions.

As political tensions rise, Odinga underscores the importance of safeguarding the independence of the judiciary to maintain a healthy democracy in the country.