NAIROBI, Kenya – A recent security shake-up has ignited a firestorm between the Judiciary and the National Police Service (NPS), with Chief Justice Martha Koome accusing the government of undermining judicial independence.
This comes after police officers attached to the Judiciary Police Unit were recalled, leaving a temporary gap in security coverage for judicial officers, including the Chief Justice herself.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has since addressed the matter, clarifying that the reassignment was procedural.
Chief Justice Martha Koome’s security detail withdrawn, Judiciary Police Unit trimmed; terms it executive interference in letter to Interior CS Murkomen and Police IG Douglas Kanja.
But the controversy has opened a broader debate about the separation of powers and institutional autonomy.
In the wake of the backlash, the Inspector General explained that the officers recalled from the Judiciary Police Unit were either promoted and sent for training or reassigned to other stations.
He noted that replacements had been deployed but acknowledged a lapse in coordination that left a temporary gap in Chief Justice Koome’s security detail.
“There was poor coordination that led to the officers assigned to the Chief Justice leaving before the new ones arrived,” Kanja admitted.
He assured the public that new officers had been deployed to fill the gap.
However, Judiciary staff claim that their inquiries about the changes were brushed off before the situation escalated, adding to concerns about transparency in the process.
Chief Justice Martha Koome criticized the move, describing it as an “egregious affront to the principle of separation of powers.”
In a strongly worded letter to Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen and IG Kanja, Koome highlighted the broader implications of the withdrawal.
“This act undermines judicial independence, threatens institutional integrity, and endangers democratic progress,” she wrote.
Koome emphasized that security for her office and judicial officers is not a personal privilege but an institutional safeguard.
“The withdrawal of this security detail jeopardizes the safety of judicial personnel, premises, and processes, impairing the administration of justice,” she added.
The Chief Justice further pointed out that the Judiciary Police Unit, formed in 2021 to safeguard judicial officers and infrastructure, has been significantly weakened due to the reduction in personnel.
Koome’s remarks spotlight a recurring tension between Kenya’s Judiciary and the Executive.
By framing the issue as a violation of the separation of powers, she stressed the importance of a secure and autonomous Judiciary in upholding democracy.
