Petition Filed to Remove Kenyan Deputy Chief Justice

Kenya: Petition Filed to Remove Deputy Chief Justice Mwilu NAIROBI, Kenya – A petition seeking the removal of Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu has been filed with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The petition, filed by Nairobi resident Belinda Egesa, alleges that Mwilu violated the constitution and acted with gross misconduct. Egesa's lawyer, Suleiman Bashir, stated that "The Deputy Chief Justice acted in excess of her mandate under article 165 (4) by unlawfully empanelling a High Court bench on October 18th, 2024. This was a direct usurpation of the Chief Justice's constitutional role." The petition also cites gross misconduct and incompetence as grounds for removal. The JSC will now review the petition and determine whether to proceed with a tribunal to investigate the allegations. This development comes just days after the Court of Appeal quashed a previous move by Mwilu to form a different bench.