Photos posted on CJ X account show legal heavyweights Philip Murgor SC, Nelson Havi, and Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo, who many says may have brokered the historic truce between Koome and Ahmednasir.

This wasn’t just another routine meeting. This was the first face-to-face encounter between the CJ and Ahmednasir since the Supreme Court’s controversial ban two years ago, a ban that had sent shockwaves through the legal profession and sparked fierce debates about judicial overreach and freedom of practice.

 “Chief Justice Martha Koome convened a consultative meeting with senior lawyers, including Philip Murgor, Ahmednassir Abdullahi, Nelson Havi, and LSK President Faith Odhiambo, to discuss access to justice,” the message posted on CJ account states.

“The engagement focused on collaboration, tackling corruption, and removing barriers to strengthen efficiency, integrity, and public confidence in the justice system.”

On January 23, 2024, the Supreme Court took the unprecedented step of barring Ahmednasir, along with his partners and associates, from appearing before it.

The decision was met with disbelief and outrage in legal circles. How could Kenya’s apex court ban an entire law firm without what many considered justifiable cause?

For two years, the firebrand lawyer Ahmednasir continued his crusade from the sidelines, launching blistering attacks on what he termed “JurisPESA”,his provocative label for alleged corruption in the judiciary.

His social media posts became legendary, mixing legal analysis with scorching criticism that made judges squirm and the public pay attention.

When the Supreme Court finally lifted the ban, thanks to intervention by Paul Muite SC, Fred Ngatia SC, and Dennis Mosota, many expected Ahmednasir to declare victory and return triumphantly to practice.

Instead, he threw down a gauntlet that left even his supporters stunned.

“I have decided NOT TO PRACTICE before the court,” he declared, outlining three non-negotiable demands: an admission of wrongdoing by the Court, addressing his grievances about judicial integrity, and meaningful institutional reforms.

His reasoning? “If I go back to practice before the Supreme Court, who is left to fight against JurisPESA in our courts?”

It was vintage Ahmednasir, defiant, principled, and unwilling to be appeased by what he called “a ploy.”

But then came the CJ’s move. The consultative meeting wasn’t just about mending fences, it was about confronting the elephants in the room: corruption allegations, barriers to justice, and the erosion of public confidence in the courts.

The agenda was ambitious: strengthening collaboration between the LSK and the Judiciary, addressing systemic barriers to justice delivery, and exploring solutions to enhance efficiency, integrity, and the rule of law.

By inviting Ahmednasir to the table alongside other critics like laywer Havi, CJ Koome sent a powerful message: dissent would be heard, not silenced.

The meeting concluded with both sides acknowledging the need for dialogue, though the road ahead remains uncertain.

Ahmednasir’s closing challenge to the CJ, offering his experience as former LSK Chairman and JSC member to help reform the courts, hangs in the air like an unanswered question.

Can the Judiciary reform itself from within? Will the Supreme Court acknowledge its mistakes? And most intriguingly, will Ahmednasir eventually return to practice before the very court he’s sworn to reform?

For now, Kenya’s legal community watches with bated breath as two formidable forces, one wielding the gavel, the other wielding the pen, navigate from feud to what might become the most consequential collaboration in the Judiciary’s fight against corruption.

The war against “JurisPESA” has found an unlikely battlefield: the negotiating table.

The post From Feud to Dialogue: CJ Koome, Havi and Ahmednasir’s Historic Reunion After Two Years appeared first on Insider Bits News.

Speaking on Monday during a Special Council Meeting of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), Koome emphasized the urgent need for public cooperation, coordinated enforcement, and respect for the law to curb road carnage.

“Do not pay any bribe when arrested. There will be heightened monitoring of human rights violations,” Justice Koome said, highlighting that enforcement agencies will closely watch operations to ensure accountability and protect citizens’ rights.

The Chief Justice highlighted that risky road behaviour, particularly speeding, tends to spike during holiday travel.

“We note the risky road behaviour which includes speeding, and we were asking one another if, when going for celebrations during this season, we forget that where we are going, whether it is to celebrate in our rural homes or wherever, those destinations do not move, so that we speed away,” she said.

The warning comes amid a worrying rise in road traffic deaths, from 4,479 in 2024 to 4,682 in 2025, a 5% increase, as authorities anticipate heavier traffic, congestion, and a spike in accidents during the holiday season.

“Risky behaviour such as speeding, fatigue, overlapping, and drunk driving continues to claim lives unnecessarily. Most victims are often innocent pedestrians or motorists,” Koome added.

Koome called for collaboration across the justice system and among road users, stressing that public awareness and coordinated enforcement were critical to saving lives.

“We are asking for collaboration and awareness about our own safety when we set out for the festivities. For seamless coordination, we need to work together—all of us in the justice system,” she said.

The NCAJ, which brings together the National Police Service, ODPP, Judiciary, NTSA, Kenya Prisons Service, EACC, LSK, and other agencies, has outlined a comprehensive multi-agency plan to enhance road safety.

Central to this initiative is the deployment of mobile traffic courts that will operate on both physical and digital platforms to fast-track cases during the festive period.

“Those charged will quickly get in touch with their lawyers through this system,” Koome noted.

Authorities will also increase roadblocks and inspections for vehicles and motorbikes, particularly along high-risk corridors, to ensure compliance with roadworthiness standards.

Motorists are being warned against overlapping, speeding, and drunk driving, while the public is urged to report violations and emergencies via toll-free numbers 999, 911, and 112.

Justice Koome stressed that road safety is a collective responsibility.

“No single agency can address road carnage alone. We must collaborate as the justice system, civil society, and the public to save lives. Enforcement, public awareness, and coordination are critical,” she said.

The Chief Justice outlined that authorities will roll out diverse measures to enhance road safety and prevent traffic-related deaths, noting that many victims are often innocent pedestrians or motorists.

“We must put in place elaborate and diverse measures to enhance road safety and prevent traffic-related deaths. Most of the time, people are innocent, either as pedestrians or drivers and someone else causes the accident,” she said.

A key initiative is the deployment of mobile traffic courts, using both physical and digital platforms to fast-track traffic cases during the festive period.

“We will deploy mobile traffic courts using physical and digital means, with close collaboration. We will share this so that those who are charged can quickly get in touch with their lawyers,” Koome said.

The council also announced that EACC officers will be deployed along major highways to deter corruption, ensuring that no driver is tempted to offer a bribe, and that human rights violations are closely monitored.

Additionally, health agencies will provide standby ambulances for rapid response to accidents.

“The festive season is a time of celebration, but it should not be a time of tragedy on our roads. By following traffic rules, refusing to engage in corruption, and looking out for one another, Kenyans can reduce accidents, save lives, and ensure safer travel,” Koome concluded.

The NCAJ’s communiqué underlines that addressing road safety is a shared responsibility, reaffirming that legal, policy, and administrative reforms, alongside public cooperation, are essential to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries during the festive season and beyond.

The post CJ Koome Urges Kenyans: “Do Not Bribe Officers” as Mobile Traffic Courts Roll Out for Festive Season appeared first on Insider Bits News.