The gaps in the Kenyan Judicial system are evident and irritating to many Kenyans. A place of justice that has been eaten up and compromised by corruption and greed of power and money. A section of Kenyans are convinced that the law is only for the poor. They allege that justice is served on basis of class. That cases of the rich end up with no evidence leading to their freedom yet cases of the poor arrive to a judgement not so long after their arrest. Is this Kenya for us?
Angry Kenyans today listed the cases that have taken the longest and seem to be forgotten under very unclear circumstances. Mostly corruption related cases that involve high profile people in our country. A year ago, as indicated on the nation,
“A report on the state of the justice system released on Monday paints a rather depressing scenario demonstrating how the police and courts unwittingly work together to frustrate the rule of law. The acknowledgment that more poor people get arrested, charged and sent to prison for petty offences while more serious offences, often committed by the rich, including major thefts of public funds, go unpunished, is a perfect illustration of perversion of justice.
In sum, the report exposed the rot in the justice system, which runs too deep and has existed for far too long to almost become the norm. It is a perfect picture of State capture where the forces of darkness have taken hold on the legal structures. Chief Justice David Maraga, who made the report public, has a tall order to clear the Judiciary of this mess. But the clean-up must be cross-departmental. Police, prisons and prosecution departments must be all be chastised and pushed to pull together to remedy the situation.
The release of the report is a credible first step at reforming the judicial and penal structures. But the Chief Justice, Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of Prisons and the Director of Public Prosecution must break up the well-oiled cartels that pervert the cause of justice. A dysfunctional legal and justice system is the surest path to anarchy.”
Even with this report that placed hope in many and promised a renewed and better system not much has happened. Similar complaints received a year later with Kenyans demanding that the rot be cleaned. With the rise of corrupt cases in the nation Kenyans need confidence in the system and this seems like the furthest place from where we are as a nation.
you will always remain innocent as along as you have money #CourtsSlowOnGraft
Kenyan law— Tony Omondi (@TonyOmondi16) October 12, 2018
In the interactions with many Kenyans, it is almost unanimous that #CourtsSlowOnGraft That is until you mingle in the ‘surburbs and with the moneyed’.
— Bushido (@bushidoke) October 12, 2018
How to win a case in Kenyan court #CourtsSlowOnGraft pic.twitter.com/xqxfPHufGG
— Abdala Omar (@AbdalaOma) October 12, 2018
Any guy who tells you he’s not like other guys just know he’s the leader of other guys…we thought Maraga was going to be the best leader to restore sanity in our judiciary kumbe he’s the leader of other guys #CourtsSlowOnGraft
— Ja Kabudha (@orinda_charles) October 12, 2018
#CourtsSlowOnGraft it so funny the rich have their cases postponed until nothing happens to them
— Thiongo Wa Njoki (@Thiongowanjoki) October 12, 2018
As long as war on corruption is being viewed as tribal and political profiling it will always end on bails and lack of evidence #CourtsSlowOnGraft
— Obunga Apamo (@ObungaApamo) October 12, 2018
Someone just said the laws is for the poor #CourtsSlowOnGraft
— mosetaylorchacha (@taylormose35) October 12, 2018