Chatham House Talk: DP Ruto Commits To Ensure Judiciary, Police Service Have Financial Independence If Elected President

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 8- Deputy President William Ruto has committed to ensure Judiciary and the National Police Service are financially independent if elected the fifth President of Kenya.

The Deputy President said lack of financial independence has compromised how police service and institutions under it, like the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, operate.

“There is a saying, whoever pays the piper calls the tune,” he said during his lecture at the Chatham House in the United Kingdom.

He further accused the government under President Uhuru Kenyatta of abusing the criminal justice sector, to punish his opponents.

“If you have the challenge of having stolen from the public, you just need to support the BBI or the handshake, and you will have no consequences,” he said.

“It is our belief that accountability should be built and institutionalized.”

To end the trend, he said the Kenya Kwanza government will operationalize the Judiciary Fund as a way of ensuring its independence.

The fund is provided for in the constitution.

“This will give the Judiciary the financial capacity to be able to deploy their full potential in adjudicating their duties,” he said.

With the fund, he said corruption cases will not take longer time to be heard and determined.

“It is our commitment that we must operationalize the Judiciary Fund and get the Judiciary to do what it is supposed to do,” the DP said.

He further committed to ensuring NPS and the DCI have financial independence.

“If somebody else is paying, that is how they decide who you go after or not,” he said.

“We believe the criminal justice system should be truly independent by having financial independence to be able to execute their mandate. That way, we will be in the trajectory of getting Kenya where we want.”

He also said he shall ensure there are clear “demarcations” between government and the opposition, as a way of enhancing accountability.

As it is, he said Kenya has a “mongrel of governance” after the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

He also committed to revive the economy, whose current state has seen millions lose their source of income.

One such way, he said is through ensuring access to credit, and more so for the small entrepreneurs.

The Orange Democratic Movement leader is also scheduled to speak at the Chatham House.

 Here is his full speech; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI9VyqoHkIo