Inaugural Supreme Court of Kenya Conference

The Supreme Court of Kenya has convened its first ever Conference since the establishment of the Court 12 years ago on the theme, ‘Reflecting and Introspecting on the Supreme Court of Kenya’s Jurisprudence: 12 Years of Defending the Constitution.

At the heart of this conference is the idea that institutions matter. They are the anchors of our democratic aspirations. Over the past twelve years, the Supreme Court has played a transformative role, shaping both Kenya’s jurisprudence and our country’s socio-political development. The Court’s landmark judgments have influenced the daily lives of Kenyans while reinforcing the core principles of our democracy.

The Court’s journey has not been without challenges. As we strive to deepen jurisprudence and protect the Constitution, the court is often called to balance divergent interests and expectations while upholding the law. It is important to appreciate that the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to large extent has a political dimension. Given that this Court handles matters touching on governance, the exercise of political power, and presidential election petitions, the Court inevitably gets drawn into disputes relating to the exercise of a political mandate. This has inevitably led to the Court being subjected to political vilification and being a target of political rhetoric over the past three electoral cycles. I want to take this opportunity to assure Kenyans that in the discharge our mandate, we do not get drawn into making political decisions. The Judges are politically neutral and are concerned with only determining the legal and evidential issues before the Court irrespective of their political ramifications.