Netizens hail CJ Maraga for skipping Jamhuri Day fete

Netizens have hailed Chief Justice (CJ) David Maraga for skipping yesterday’s Jamhuri Day fete at Nyayo stadium describing him as a man of his word.

CJ Maraga on November 4 publicly said that he will choose which state functions to attend after accusing the Executive of belittling his office and the Judiciary.

"I have decided that unless I am treated with dignity due to my office, I will choose which of those state functions to attend," he said.

True to his word, the President of Kenya's Supreme Court did not show up on Thursday 12 as Kenya marked 56 years of freedom. 

An empty seat bearing a tag of his name remained vacant throughout the fete.

All other arms of government were represented in the function held at Nyayo Stadium apart from the Judiciary headed by Maraga.

Social media users took to their online platforms to praise CJ Maraga for walking the talk.

So Maraga walked the talk during 56th jamhuri day celebration.
Viva !! pic.twitter.com/EyNG7OFU9m — Eloiloijairus-MBS ???????? (@eloyloy26) December 13, 2019

Chief Justice David Maraga refused to tow the line
I totally respect him for that

— Linet (@linetwacu) December 12, 2019

Maraga
said he will choose what functions to attend.
What makes me like him, is that he is A man of his word????. Ohhhh hail president of the scok — Mukiri. (@First_kikii) December 13, 2019

But some expressed their concerns over bad blood between the Executive and the Judiciary saying that it will hampper service delivery.

#Maraga
When the Judicial arm doesn’t work in synchrony with the Legislative and the Executive in the spirit of Collective Responsibility, supremacy wars emerge, the delivery of justice is choked and dies in the corridors of the courts. The corrupt are having a good laugh.

— Nahor keino (@KeinoNahor) December 13, 2019

Maraga was among the high-ranking government officials in the programme of the Jamhuri Day fete.

His unexpected no show saw Deputy President William Ruto acknowledging him without knowing he was not at the dais.

But why did Maraga snub the Jamhuri Day celebrations?

In the wake of the move by the National Treasury to reduce the Judiciary's budgetary allocation; Maraga shared his frustrations by the Executive on November 4.

Despite his high-rank, Maraga thinks he is not duly respected as low-ranked government officials are placed above him in what he believes is a deliberate move to despise him.

The Chief Justice alleged mistreatment during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Mombasa and declared he would henceforth choose which functions to attend.

Maraga had claimed he had to walk through the sidewalk and the Master of Ceremonies did not acknowledge his arrival as he did for other state officers during the Mombasa celebrations.

For this reason, Maraga vowed to only attend state functions of his choice.

The dispute between the two arms of government is narrowed to President Uhuru's remarks when he vowed to fix the Judiciary after it initially declared his victory "invalid, null and void" in 2017.