Chief Justice Martha Koome has clarified that the Judiciary did not enter into any agreement with the Executive for implementing the new Affordable Housing tax program.
This clarification follows President William Ruto’s statement on Saturday in Bomet, where he remarked that the Executive and the Judiciary had agreed on the program.
Speaking in Naivasha on Thursday, CJ Koome affirmed that the Judiciary is independent, explaining that President Ruto’s remarks were taken out of context.
“Judiciary is not, in any capacity, able to enter into any agreement with the Executive, especially in a matter that is before court. The Judiciary was not a party in that cause, and I tried to look at the clip where the President was quoted to have said he entered into an agreement with the Judiciary,” she said.
CJ Koome explained that Ruto possibly implied that the Executive had agreed with the Court’s directive.
“I’m a judge, I’m not a communication expert, but what I could deduce from that conversation is that it was taken out of context or there was misinterpretation. Because what the President was saying is that he agreed with the judgement of the court that gave directions on what needed to be done to create a framework on how to administer the housing levy, and what he was telling Kenyans is that the Executive has complied with the directions given in the judgement.”
