Maraga: We need to rebuild trust in police, judiciary

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 7 – Former Chief Justice David Maraga has highlighted the need to rebuild trust in African judicial and police institutions.

Maraga who spoke during the third Stakeholders’ Convening of the Data for Governance Alliance that is currently underway in Nairobi regretted the dwindling trust Africans including Kenyans have in the judiciary and the police yet they should ideally be the watchdog of human rights.

Maraga cited the recent Afrobarometer data, which revealed a significant trust deficit in these critical institutions across the continent. According to the report in Kenya, only 34 percent of citizens trust the police.

“The Afrobarometer data testifies to this. Trust in courts in some countries is as low as 28%. This itself invites us to do more in confidence building so that citizens can turn to courts for justice,” he said.

“This means we must work as citizens to engage in appropriate and law-based approaches to building confidence and trust,” Maraga urged.

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He called for a thorough introspection to determine the best ways to improve institutional relations with citizens, using the data as a starting point for these efforts.

Maraga outlined several challenges hindering the effectiveness of transitional justice in Africa, including impunity, political interference, limited resources, lack of political will, weak legal systems, inadequate victim participation, and social and cultural challenges.

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The Kenya police force was in the clamor for the new constitution in 2010 changed to police service in what was viewed as a better way to harmonize the relationship between the police and citizens.

The police have however been blamed for heavy-handedness including more recently during the antigovernment protests at the behest of the Gen-Z protestors.