By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, July 10, 2026- People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua on Friday accused the National Police Service of defying High Court orders and allowing violence to erupt during the implementation of a court judgment at Gatoto Primary School in Nairobi's Mukuru kwa Reuben area.
Karua claimed she and members of the school's Board of Directors were attacked by a group of youths after police allegedly failed to provide court-ordered security, describing the incident as a direct assault on the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary.
The former Justice Minister said she had accompanied the school's Board to oversee the implementation of a High Court judgment that restored the management of Gatoto Primary School to its lawful Board of Directors.
According to Karua, the High Court had expressly directed the Officer Commanding Mukuru kwa Reuben Police Station to provide security during the execution of the orders.
"The High Court had expressly directed the Officer Commanding Mukuru kwa Reuben Police Station to provide security during the implementation of its orders. Despite that clear directive, the required security was not provided," she said.
Karua alleged that upon reporting to the police station, the Officer Commanding Station was unavailable, while his deputy declined to facilitate the deployment, saying only the OCS could authorize the security detail.
She said the delegation later proceeded to the school only to find the gates locked despite the court orders.
"Moments after members of the media arrived at the scene, a small group of individuals became violent, pelting stones at the Board members' vehicle and forcing them to leave for their safety," she said.
Karua further alleged that as her vehicle left the school compound, "an assailant armed with a rungu deliberately smashed its rear windscreen, while additional stones caused further damage to the vehicle."
The 2027 presidential hopeful argued that the events raised serious questions about the willingness of State institutions to uphold court orders.
"The sequence of events raises profound concerns about the willingness of public institutions to uphold lawful court orders and protect citizens seeking to enforce them through peaceful and lawful means," she said.
She added that the incident reflected "an increasingly troubling pattern in which violence, intimidation and the abdication of public duty are being allowed to frustrate lawful processes and silence citizens pursuing justice."
More from Kenya
Karua said the confrontation extended beyond a dispute over the management of Gatoto Primary School, warning that it posed a broader constitutional challenge.
"Today's events are not merely about Gatoto Primary School. They raise a broader national question about whether Kenyans can continue to rely on public institutions to enforce court decisions impartially and protect those exercising their constitutional rights," she said.
She called for immediate investigations into both the alleged attack and the failure to implement the High Court's directives.
"Every individual responsible, whether through direct participation, negligence or abuse of office, must be identified and held accountable," Karua said.
She also defended the independence of the Judiciary, arguing that democracy cannot flourish where violence overrides judicial authority or where State institutions selectively comply with court orders.
"Kenya cannot build a democratic society where violence is permitted to override judicial authority, nor can constitutional governance survive if State institutions selectively comply with court orders," she said.
Karua reiterated her commitment to defending the independence of the Judiciary, protecting constitutional rights and ensuring that public institutions discharge their responsibilities "without fear, favour or political influence."
Neither the National Police Service nor the Ministry of Interior had responded to Karua's allegations by the time of publication.