Judiciary Urges LSK to Cancel Planned Protest Against 7 Supreme Court Judges

The Judiciary has urged the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) members to cancel their planned protests against Chief Justice Martha Koome and the other Supreme Court judges.

LSK had announced plans to protest against the seven Supreme Court judges following their controversial ban on lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi and his law firm.

However, Judiciary Spokesperson Paul Ndemo on Monday evening clarified that several petitions challenging the Supreme Court ban had been filed in various courts thus no need to protest.

According to him, at least five applications challenging the ban had been filed at the East African Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court and the petitions were currently under review.

“In all the above matters, the recusal order made by judges of the Supreme Court from hearing and determining any matter filed by the firm of Ahmednasir Abdullahi Advocates and where Ahmednasir appears either by himself or through an employee of his law firm has been challenged,” the judiciary spokesperson revealed.

Ndemo further noted that since the applications were still pending in the courts, the matter was thus sub judice, meaning that members of the public were forbidden from speaking about it.

While setting the record straight, the judiciary spokesperson called on the body representing lawyers to understand the importance of the sub judice rule and the significance of observing the rule of law.

“The matters all remain undetermined by the named courts and are therefore sub judice. We must allow and seek lawful and peaceful means to address the matter at hand,” Ndemo stated.

Lawyer Ahmednasir, while responding to the judiciary, dismissed Ndemo’s statement, citing that the petitions filed in various courts did not challenge the recusal of the seven judges but rather challenged the ban imposed on lawyers employed by Ahmednasir’s firm.

The senior counsel also stated that the sub judice rule did not apply to the physical occupation of buildings like the Supreme Court as alleged by the judiciary.

On Friday, January 24, LSK, through its President Faith Odhiambo, announced the body’s plan to protest the controversial ban imposed on Ahmednasir’s law firm. 

According to her, the protests would include mobilising LSK members to stage peaceful protests and occupy the Supreme Court starting this week.

LSK’s move was informed by the Supreme Court’s decision made on January 18, last year, in which the apex court imposed a permanent ban on Ahmednasir from appearing before it.