- Farah Maalim claims a corrupt Judiciary deters investors, citing compromised practices and inflated legal fees
- Maalim urges LSK and Judiciary intervention, criticizing interference with government mandates
- President Ruto vows to eliminate corrupt judicial officers hindering government projects in Kenya
Daadab Member of Parliament (MP) Farah Maalim has asserted that a corrupt Judiciary in Kenya is dissuading potential investors.
Daadab Member of Parliament Maalim Farah
In an interview with Citizen TV on Wednesday, Maalim stated, “Judiciary is not different from any other institution in the country; there is massive corruption in there.” He claimed that compromised practices within the Judiciary frustrate investors, contributing to caution among potential stakeholders.
According to Maalim, the Judiciary’s perceived corruption is a significant factor affecting investment in the country. He argued, “The reason why investors are wary about investing in this country is not because the Executive and Parliament are attacking the Judiciary. It is because there is a corrupt Judiciary because you can have your matter in court for the longest.”
Furthermore, Maalim criticized lawyers for requesting inflated legal fees, leading to a backlog of pending bills for legal counsels. “You look at this kind of pending bills for lawyers in the country; it runs into billions of shillings,” he claimed.
Maalim called on the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Judiciary to address these concerns, stating, “LSK and the Judiciary can come to the front and say we cannot accept this, you are denigrating the reputation of this institution and profession.”
The legislator accused the Judiciary of interfering with the mandates of other government arms and independent institutions.
He emphasized the importance of judicial independence, stating, “You can’t stop parliament from conducting a parliamentary process; you wait until the process itself is concluded, let them pass the piece of legislation, and then you strike it down. That is the independence of this institution.”
President William Ruto has also joined the criticism against the Judiciary, vowing to eliminate corrupt judicial officers. Ruto attributed setbacks in his government’s projects, including Universal Health Care and affordable housing, to alleged bribery influencing court rulings.
In a past event, Ruto declared, “Our Judiciary, we respect you, but judicial impunity by corrupt judicial officers must stop in Kenya…we’ll stop it and whatever it takes.” The ongoing dispute underscores growing concerns about judicial integrity and its potential impact on Kenya’s investment environment.
