Chief Justice Martha Koome has disclosed that she recently faced intense pressure from unnamed individuals who wanted the Judiciary to slash the number of new advocates joining the bar. She says she firmly dismissed the proposal, insisting that fairness and merit could not be compromised.
Addressing 920 newly admitted advocates on Thursday, November 20, 2025, Koome revealed that in the days leading up to the ceremony, she was urged to approve only about half the group roughly 450 candidates as a way of avoiding criticism and social media backlash.
Koome recounted reviewing the admission list only to encounter suggestions that the Judiciary should admit a smaller batch and push the remaining candidates to a later date. She said she rejected the idea immediately.
“Some people suggested we take in only 450 to escape attacks online. I told them to walk out,” she said.
For the CJ, the proposal was not only unreasonable but deeply unfair to the candidates who had invested years of study, examinations and training. She made it clear that no candidate who had met all the professional requirements would be sidelined because of public chatter.
Calling the suggestion an affront to justice and equity, Koome stressed that the Judiciary’s decisions must be grounded in principle—not convenience. She punctuated her message with a firm rebuke: “Shaitani ashindwe!”
She questioned how the institution could justify delaying admission for qualified candidates after years of sacrifice simply to avoid trending topics or criticism on social platforms.
“These are our children,” she told the gathering.
“They have worked hard for many years. I cannot deny them admission out of fear of social media.”
Koome’s stance ensured that all 920 eligible candidates were admitted as scheduled, a move she framed as both a moral obligation and a demonstration of judicial independence.
She urged the new advocates to carry the same courage into their legal practice reminding them that decisions anchored in justice, however difficult, must always prevail.
The Chief Justice reaffirmed that as long as candidates meet the academic and regulatory thresholds, the Judiciary has no grounds to arbitrarily limit admissions.
