MOMBASA, Kenya – Chief Justice Martha Koome has warned that a growing wave of online harassment targeting judges poses a direct threat to judicial independence and could undermine public trust in Kenya’s courts.
Speaking Monday at the opening of a five-day judges’ colloquium in Mombasa, Koome decried what she described as a “sustained social media onslaught” against judicial officers, saying it was designed to intimidate judges and weaken the authority of the Judiciary.
“This is not merely a passing wave of criticism; it is a calculated attempt to weaken the moral authority of the Judiciary and to intimidate judges into silence or bending the law to the whims of nefarious interests,” the CJ said.
Koome noted that false accusations, misleading narratives, and defamatory claims had increasingly been weaponised online to discredit court rulings.
“These attacks are not just directed at individual judges, but are calculated to erode public confidence in the entire justice system,” she warned.
The CJ cautioned that if unchecked, such digital intimidation could sway judicial officers to rule under political pressure or private influence, rather than uphold the Constitution.
She insisted that “fearless adjudication” was critical for the Judiciary to continue serving as the last line of defence for justice, rights, and the rule of law.
Koome further revealed that her office had received concerns from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights over the surge in cyberattacks against the Judiciary.
The UN is weighing a fact-finding mission by the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers to assess the situation in Kenya.
“We are hopeful this mission will materialise,” she said. “Such external engagement by a global expert will not only help us take stock of the situation at home but also provide authoritative guidance on strengthening our resilience.”
The Mombasa colloquium, themed “Digital Transformation, Technology and the Law”, has brought together judges from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Employment and Labour Relations Court, and the Environment and Land Court.
Koome noted that emerging technologies – from fintech to data privacy – were presenting increasingly complex legal disputes that demanded informed and principled rulings.
She urged judges to harness digital tools to enhance efficiency, transparency, and public access to justice while remaining vigilant in safeguarding judicial independence.
