Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has backtracked on his plan to file a petition for the removal of Judge Esther Maina from office.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Deputy President’s office stated that the need to allow for dialogue between the Executive and the Judiciary on the conduct of judicial officers prompted this move.
“Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua notes the current national discourse on judicial transparency and application of Article 10 of the Constitution of Kenya on the conduct of Judges and other Judicial Officers. He welcomes the statement by Chief Justice Martha Koome inviting dialogue on the critical issue of accountability of the Judiciary, which H.E President William Ruto has embraced,” a statement to newsrooms reads in part.
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“In this regard, the Deputy President will not proceed with the matter of the petition, for now,” the statement issued by Njeri Rugene, Head of the Deputy Presidential Communication Service added.
Riggy G had declared an onslaught against High Court Judge Maina, vowing to ensure her removal for declaring his Sh200m fortune as proceeds of crime—a move he claimed was intended to taint his image.
In 2022, Justice Maina rejected Gachagua’s application to have his accounts unfrozen by the Assets Recovery Agency.
Instead, the court ordered that he forfeit the Sh202 million in his accounts to the state, deeming them as proceeds of corruption.
However, Gachagua regained his money when he and President William Ruto ascended to power following the 2022 general election.
