Odoki Warns Judges On Political Issues
Mar 30, 2004
THE Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, has said judges need to tread carefully on political issues.
By Anne Mugisa
and Rory Pike
THE Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, has said judges need to tread carefully on political issues. He said their involvement in political issues could be misunderstood.
Odoki was answering questions from members of the Ford Foundation and the East African Centre for Constitutional Development at the High Court yesterday.
He said judges had a major role to protect and promote Constitutionalism and human rights in the country.
Odoki said the Judiciary had secured its independence constitutionally and in practice.
He said the courts were deciding cases objectively in the interest of justice and not of the Government.
Odoki said the Judiciary had redefined the Parliament powers, pronounced themselves on legislation that was inconsistent with the Constitution and given direction on political parties. He said the Judiciary wanted to teach people to accept court rulings and learn to lose cases gracefully.
On the political cases, Odoki said the Judiciary wanted to promote people’s confidence in the electoral process and see peaceful transfer of power.
He said the Judiciary was constrained by inability to provide everyone with legal services because of lack of finances.
He said the Government had opened up courts in all parts of the country.
He said they intend to simplify court procedure to enable ordinary people access justice easily.
Ends
and Rory Pike
THE Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, has said judges need to tread carefully on political issues. He said their involvement in political issues could be misunderstood.
Odoki was answering questions from members of the Ford Foundation and the East African Centre for Constitutional Development at the High Court yesterday.
He said judges had a major role to protect and promote Constitutionalism and human rights in the country.
Odoki said the Judiciary had secured its independence constitutionally and in practice.
He said the courts were deciding cases objectively in the interest of justice and not of the Government.
Odoki said the Judiciary had redefined the Parliament powers, pronounced themselves on legislation that was inconsistent with the Constitution and given direction on political parties. He said the Judiciary wanted to teach people to accept court rulings and learn to lose cases gracefully.
On the political cases, Odoki said the Judiciary wanted to promote people’s confidence in the electoral process and see peaceful transfer of power.
He said the Judiciary was constrained by inability to provide everyone with legal services because of lack of finances.
He said the Government had opened up courts in all parts of the country.
He said they intend to simplify court procedure to enable ordinary people access justice easily.
Ends