KMJA denounces harassment of Magistrate at Maua Law Courts
By Ascah Mwango, October 31, 2025The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) has condemned the harassment of a sitting magistrate at the Maua Law Courts, terming it a grave attack on judicial independence and the rule of law.
The incident, which occurred on October 30, 2025, saw a group of advocates reportedly block the magistrate’s vehicle while hurling inflammatory chants of “mwizi” (thief) at her.
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The association described the incident as mob-like, bullying, and utterly unacceptable conduct that undermines the dignity of the courts.
In a statement released on Friday, October 31, 2025, KMJA Secretary General Tom Mark Olando said the association was profoundly alarmed and deeply concerned by the incident and the growing trend of hostility towards judicial officers.
“The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) issues this statement with profound alarm and deep consternation in the wake of the shocking events that unfolded at the Maua Law Courts on Thursday, 30 October 2025 and the cyberbullying by a section of advocates with a budding unprecedented trend of litigation and re-litigation on social media with deliberate misinformation,” Olando said.
He condemned the actions of the advocates involved, describing their behaviour as an act of intimidation rather than a peaceful protest.
“The scenes witnessed in Maua, where a serving magistrate was accosted, her vehicle blocked, and inflammatory chants of ‘mwizi’ hurled at her, inviting potential mob violence, represent a new and dangerous low in the relationship between the Bar and the Bench. This was not a peaceful protest; it was an act of intimidation and incitement,” Olando stated.
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He further noted that such actions, including storming courtrooms, mocking judicial officers, and displaying defamatory placards, go against the professional code of conduct expected from advocates.
“The visual propaganda exhibited by the advocates in the name of satire misinforming the masses on vices about the Court was not only a betrayal of the oath taken by an advocate of the High Court of Kenya to uphold the rule of law and the administration of justice but also served as an intended incitement of the public against the Court,” the statement read in part.
KMJA warned that this was not an isolated incident, but part of a worrying pattern of growing hostility towards judicial officers across the country.
“This incident in Maua is not isolated. It is part of a visible and deeply troubling trend where some advocates are increasingly resorting to rowdiness, public vilification, and threats to harass judges, judicial officers, and judiciary staff,” Olando said.
He added that such conduct not only undermines judicial authority but also erodes public trust in the justice system.
“When advocates become a rowdy mob, they do not strengthen justice; they expose its very foundations to ridicule and collapse. When advocates desecrate the seat of justice, they not only undermine judicial authority, but also erode public trust in the justice system,” he said.
KMJA reminded advocates that there are established mechanisms for addressing grievances within the legal profession, including the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and Bar-Bench committees.
“The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) exists to, among others, address grievances against members of the Judiciary. Protocols for engagement with the Chief Justice, Presiding Judges, and Heads of Courts are well-known. To bypass these lawful avenues in favour of public spectacle and intimidation is not only unreasonable but demonstrates contempt for the very rule of law that advocates are mandated to protect,” Olando stated.
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He urged advocates to pursue professionalism and decorum, warning that continued attacks on judicial officers could lead to the erosion of justice and public confidence in the courts.
“To bully them on social media platforms, to publicly belittle them, to threaten them, and to expose them to public odium is to desecrate the entire legal profession. If this trend persists, the eventual outcome is predictable and dire: the erosion of public confidence, the paralysis of the justice system, and the eventual breakdown of the Judiciary as an institution,” he warned.
The association called on advocates in Meru and across the country to exercise restraint and engage through lawful channels.
“We call upon the advocates in Meru and across Kenya to step back from the brink. We ask for calm and reflection. Let reason prevail over emotion. We invite them to engage through the proper channels—to present their documented evidence to the JSC, to utilise Bar-Bench committees, and to allow the mechanisms for judicial discipline to take their course,” Olando appealed.
He reaffirmed KMJA’s commitment to defending judicial independence and called on the government to enhance security for judicial officers.
“We call upon the JSC, the SRC, Parliament, and all concerned stakeholders to prioritise and fast-track the provision of comprehensive security for judicial officers,” he concluded.