Jubilee Disowns Njunjiri Wambugu's Petition to Kick Out Chief Justice David Maraga

Jubilee Party has distanced itself from a petition filed by Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu seeking to oust Chief Justice David Maraga from office.

Speaking during a press briefing at the Party's headquarters in Nairobi, Secretary-General Raphael Tuju said the party had nothing to do with the petition, even as the opposition National Super Alliance claimed that Wambugu was action on instructions from above.

Tuju said the petition was a private matter prosecuted by the MP and distanced the party from it.

“The petition is a Ngunjiri petition and not a Jubilee party case. But all I can say is that I have just received a copy of the petition and I am yet to go through it,” said Tuju.

Wambugu's 14-page petition presented to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), accuses Maraga of “gross misconduct”, claiming that the Supreme Court has been held captive by a group of NGOs.

He further accuses Justice Maraga of orchestrating a regime change, “through judicial intervention, designed to controvert the authority” of the people.

The MP also claims the Judiciary has been held captive by a click of NGOs, which have opposed President Kenyatta’s presidency since 2013.

He said that the NGOs influenced the decision by the Supreme Court to annul the outcome of the August 8th presidential election.

Further, Wambugu accused the CJ of making numerous telephone conversations with legal team that represented the National Super Alliance (Nasa) in the presidential petition and violating Regulation 12 of the Judicial Code of Conduct and Ethics, gross misconduct and abuse of office.

He also claims that Justice Maraga “deliberately delayed” the delivery of judgment, which nullified the August 8, presidential election.

The apex court, by a majority decision, overturned the presidential election, but judges — Jackton Ojwang’ and Njoki Ndung’u dissented and dismissed the petition.

A section of MPs from Abagusii community, where the CJ hails from, ordered Wambugu to immediately withdraw the petition, saying it was ill informed, coming a day after the President met an Abagusii delegation at State House in Nakuru.

“We are asking the MP to immediately withdraw the petition or all Kisii leaders will be enjoined in the case. We feel the case is in bad taste and is targeting an individual from the Kisii region,” MP Joe Angwenyi said at a press conference in Parliament.

“Mr Wambugu has no business attacking CJ. We met the President on Wednesday and he explained his anger to us on the ruling,” he said.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria also criticised Wambugu, saying the petition was misplaced and the MO was “grossly out of order”.