Supporters of Kenya’s ruling party who started protests Monday have gathered Tuesday outside the Supreme Court to demand the removal of the judges who nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election in August.
Ruling Jubilee Party supporters also burned tires and blocked one of the major highways into the capital, Nairobi.
The protests came a day after three petitions were filed asking the Judicial Service Commission to remove Chief Justice David Maraga, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and Justice Isaac Lenaola, reported AP. The petitions claim misconduct and bias on the part of the judges. Maraga and three other justices ruled 4-2 to annul Kenyatta’s re-election and call for a new election, which is set for Oct. 17.
Maraga was quoted by AP as saying that the demonstrations “are clearly intended to intimidate the judiciary and individual judges”.
The judges are “prepared to pay the ultimate price to protect the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.
The nation’s judiciary said on Tuesday that attempts to intimidate Kenya’s Supreme Court judges are “unlawful and savage in nature”.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga had challenged Kenyatta’s win at court, claiming the election results were rigged. The Supreme Court ruled the electoral commission committed “irregularities” and nullified the elections results.