President William Ruto and Chief Justice Martha Koome reached a consensus on Monday, putting an end to their weeks-long political dispute. In a landmark agreement, the leaders pledged to unite the three arms of government to combat corruption effectively.
A statement from Statehouse Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed outlined the key conclusions of the meeting, emphasizing the pervasive nature of corruption within the three branches of government. The agreement recognized corruption as a significant threat to the nation, impeding development potential and undermining the country's transformation.
Key Agreements:
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Acknowledgment of Corruption: The statement affirmed that corruption has infiltrated the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary, necessitating collaborative efforts to address the issue.
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Commitment to Service Delivery: Each arm of the government pledged to enhance service delivery, combat corruption, and promote overall justice administration to be accountable to the people of Kenya.
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Individual Policy Development: The Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary committed to formulating policies, guidelines, regulations, and legislative proposals independently to fight corruption and enhance institutional accountability.
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Proposal Submission: Within 30 days, each arm of government will submit their proposals to the National Council of the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), convened by Chief Justice Koome. The forum will outline immediate, medium-term, and long-term measures to be undertaken.
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Budgetary Support: The Executive and Legislature agreed to support the Judiciary's request for additional budgetary resources. This support aims to facilitate the recruitment of additional judges for the High Court and the Court of Appeal, as well as conclude the vehicle leasing program for the judiciary's transport needs.
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Commitment to Rule of Law: The three branches of government pledged to perform their functions in a manner that upholds the rule of law, institutional independence, and respect for court decisions.
This agreement signifies a crucial step towards collaborative governance and a unified effort to combat corruption in Kenya.