NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 17 – The Judiciary has disowned a letter circulating on social media and purportedly signed by Chief Justice Martha Koome, dismissing it as fabricated and warning the public against using it to advance political narratives.
In a public notice issued on Monday, the Judiciary said the document, which bears the purported letterhead of the Supreme Court and the Office of the Chief Justice, was neither authored nor issued by Koome, her office or any authorised organ of the Judiciary.
“The Judiciary wishes to categorically state that the letter is FAKE,” the institution said.
The warning follows the circulation of a purported statement dated August 17, 2026, claiming to be a statement by Koome on alleged attempts to interfere with the independence of the Supreme Court.
The fake document purports to address a complaint allegedly lodged by Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu with the Judicial Service Commission over attempts to influence her handling of a constitutional petition before the Supreme Court.
The petition, according to the fabricated statement, concerns the eligibility of impeached public officers to contest elective positions.
The document further falsely alleges that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was the beneficiary of the alleged attempts to influence the court and names former Chief Justice David Maraga and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the individuals allegedly used to approach Mwilu.
It goes on to claim that the Judicial Service Commission had ordered investigations into Maraga and Musyoka, including possible disciplinary action, revocation of Musyoka’s Senior Counsel status and referral of the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The purported statement also claims that additional security measures had been ordered for Mwilu and other Supreme Court judges and that Gachagua had been cautioned against further attempts to interfere with the court.
However, the Judiciary said none of those claims originated from the Chief Justice or any authorised organ of the institution.
It expressed concern that the fabricated communication was designed to give the impression that the Judiciary had taken a position on a politically sensitive matter.
“The deliberate fabrication and circulation of purported official communication is a serious matter, particularly where it seeks to attribute to the Judiciary positions that it has neither taken nor expressed,” the Judiciary said.
The institution said it was particularly concerned about attempts to invoke the name and authority of the Chief Justice to construct or amplify political narratives and partisan interests.
The Judiciary stressed that it is an independent arm of government and is constitutionally mandated to exercise judicial authority independently and impartially.
“Its institutional position cannot be manufactured, attributed or appropriated for political purposes,” it said.
The warning comes at a time when the courts are handling politically sensitive disputes, including questions surrounding the eligibility of impeached public officials to seek elective office.
The fabricated letter sought to link those proceedings to alleged attempts to influence members of the Supreme Court, potentially creating the impression of an institutional crisis within the Judiciary.
The Judiciary cautioned that the name, office and authority of the Chief Justice should not be misrepresented to lend credibility to political messaging or misinformation.
It urged members of the public, journalists and other stakeholders to verify purported official communications before relying on or disseminating them.
“Any communication attributed to the Chief Justice or the Judiciary should be verified through the Judiciary’s established and official communication channels before it is relied upon or disseminated,” it said.
The Judiciary said it would continue to discharge its constitutional mandate with independence, impartiality and fidelity to the Constitution and the law. It advised the public to disregard the letter and any narratives arising from its contents.
