Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that there is a bigger scheme to dismantle the Supreme Court of Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Speaking on Sunday, January 26, 2025, during a church service at the PCEA Imenti North Presbytery, Meru township Parish in Meru county, Gachagua claimed that a budget has already been set towards the plan.

According to Gachagua, the said budget has been set through the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

He further argued that the woes facing Chief Justice Martha Koome, including the withdrawal of her security, is part of the scheme.

The former DP further argued that the withdrawal of CJ Koome’s security was meant to intimidate her so that she can willingly resign.

“We have seen a scheme to remove Justice Martha Koome from office as the Chief Justice and the President of the Supreme Court and I want to say, sisi tumesimama na Martha Koome, na hii maneno ya kumnyang’anya askari ni kumuuzia uoga so that she can resign. I want to ask my sister, don’t be intimidated, stay put, you are doing a good job,” Gachagua said.

Gachagua went ahead to claim that the petitions against CJ Koome and all the Supreme Court judges are being sponsored by the state, with an aim of putting up a bench that is amiable to want those in power want.

He also asked the international community to keep an eye on Kenya as it prepares for the 2027 elections.

“There is even a bigger scheme to dismantle the Supreme Court ahead of the 2027 general elections. A budget has been set aside through the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and all those petitions you are seeing against Martha Koome and against the judges of the Supreme Court, are the imaginations of the state, because they want to put up a Supreme Court bench that is amiable to what those in power want. Tuseme yakwamba we won’t accept and we want to ask the international community to keep an eye on Kenya,” Gachagua said.

CJ Koome’s security

CJ Koome security detail was early this week withdrawn, and only reinstated following a public uproar.

Members of the opposition political parties including Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Democratic Action Party of Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa and Jubilee party secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni had called for the reinstatement of Koome’s security.

Speaking in Nairobi on Friday, January 24, 2025, Kioni demanded the immediate restoration of the security detail of Koome and other officers of the judiciary, noting that the state could be having a sinister motive.

“The president seems set on dismantling the Judiciary. The removal of the security team from the Chief Justice’s office is an indication of a person who is hell-bent on capturing all these institutions,” Kioni said.

However, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen while defending the move said Koome needed not to go public with her claims of security withdrawal.

“I saw the Chief Justice complain yesterday (Thursday, January 23, 2025) about the promotion of police officers who are attached to her and subsequent movements to go for training.

“This has also happened to me before, where I write and say, ‘Please promote this officer; they have worked with me for a long time’.”

“When promoted, they are supposed to go for training. Unfortunately, our Chief Justice went public about this issue, and I want to ensure you that I have, or I think I have, an excellent relationship with the Chief Justice unless on her side she has an issue,” Murkomen clarified.

Petitions against Koome

Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Nelson Havi on Monday, filed a petition in court seeking to remove Koome from office on allegations that she lacked the impetus to preside over the Judiciary.

In an affidavit, Havi also wanted six other Supreme Court judges including Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu to face a tribunal that will probe their conduct for, among others, gross misconduct and misbehaviour.

Other Kenya top lawyers who have voiced their concern over the allegations levelled against the judges include Gibson Kamau Kuria, Paul Muite, and Ahmednasir Abdullahi who linked Koome’s team to corruption and integrity issues.