Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi has hit out at opposition leader Raila Odinga over claims that President William Ruto intends to install former IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati as Chief Justice. 

Speaking during a church service in Kakamega attended by Ruto, Mudavadi said anyone, as long as they are qualified, has the right to vie for any position in Kenya. 

"The Judicial Service Commission is independent, and it has the right to recruit anybody who qualifies to be a judge of this republic. So it's wrong for the Azimio leadership to start determining who should the JSC recruit," Mudavadi said. 

He went on to say that even Chebukati himself can become Chief Justice of Kenya if he meets the threshold. 

"Kama ni Chebukati ama nani, if he puts his bid for the position of a judge, that is the responsibility of the JSC, not the responsibility of politicians to try and direct JSC," he added. 

His sentiments come a day after Azimio Leader Raila Odinga alleged plans to have Chebukati appointed as Court of Appeal judge before being fronted as CJ ahead of the 2027 elections. 

Raila claimed he learnt of this intention after the recent State House meeting between Executive led by President Ruto and the Judiciary led by Chief Justice Martha Koome.

According to Raila, the meeting was only one piece in Ruto's grand plan to have a friendly Judiciary.

He further said Chebukati and his predecessor Ahmed Issack Hassan would first be enlisted as Court of Appeal Judges before Chebukati is later promoted to the CJ position.

“In that (State House meeting) agreement, the five High Court Judges and two Court of Appeal Judges will be for Ruto to forward to the JSC,” Raila claimed.