New Chief Justice likely to be unveiled Thursday, Registrar Amadi says

Former CJ Willy Mutunga. /FILE
Former CJ Willy Mutunga. /FILE

Kenyans are likely to know the new Chief Justice by Thursday this week, Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi said on Wednesday.

Amadi said in Rongo that she was forced to cut short her trip in western Kenya to attend to the matter in Nairobi.

She was scheduled to open a new court in Bungoma on Thursday, September 22, an activity that has now been postponed until further notice.

Amadi is secretary of the Judicial Service Commission which has been conducting the CJ interviews.

The post will be filled following the early retirement of Willy Mutunga who exited the helm on June 17, 2016.

"There is a high possibility for JSC to name the next CJ tomorrow (Thursday)," she said.

"That is why I have to rush back to Nairobi because as a secretary I have to be present," Amadi said.

She was in Rongo, Migori county, for the official opening of a Sh11 million new law court.

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All eyes have been on the JSC since the conclusion of the said interviews.

The team is expected to recommend to President Uhuru Kenyatta, one suitable candidate for appointment.

JSC first shortlisted judges Smokin Wanjala, Msagha Mbogholi, Alnashir Visram, David Maraga, Roselyn Nambuye, and Nzamba Kitonga.

Six candidates who had been locked out including US-based law scholar Makau Mutua, Justice Jackton Ojwang and retired Judge Aaron Ringera were later invited for interviews.

This was after a court ordered that all the applicants be interviewed for the job of top judge.

In the meantime, 16 candidates are lined up for interviews for the post of Deputy Chief Justice starting September 26.

Among those expected to face JSC include Justice Roselyne Nambuye, Dr Isaac Michael Rutenberg, Martha Koome, Abida Ali Aroni, Fatuma Sichale and Agnes Kalekye Murgor.

Amadi said the judiciary has been operating smoothly despite the lack of a substantive Chief Justice.

A quorum hitch hit the Supreme Court following the exit of Mutunga, Rawal and Justice Philip Tunoi from the bench.

"The judiciary has structures that have been working and the impasse did not in any way affect service delivery," she said.

The registrar said that the judiciary has rolled out an anti-corruption mapping tool through the help of Transparency International.

"The recommendations will be made public soon. We want the public to be vigilant on corruption in the judiciary by reporting cases to help stamp out the vice completely," Amadi said.

Amadi at the same time criticised the Law Society of Kenya for their lack of input in the process of getting the new Chief Justice.

She said the silence was worrying since lawyers are the biggest partners in the judiciary process.

"LSK input was not there which makes us wonder whether they were happy with the process. The general public input was good," she said.

Migori LSK representative Omonde Kisera said their officials at the head office were the best to comment on the matter.

He asked the judiciary to build new courts in areas that are not well served within Homa Bay and Migori counties.

Rongo resident magistrate Purity Rugut said the new court will solve space constraints that they have suffered in the past.

"In many cases, litigants were forced to peep through the window for proceedings. We are happy to report that will be no more," she said.

Rugut said that they want the judiciary to step in so as to reduce the huge backlog of cases; namely 444 criminal and 802 civil cases.

Most of them revolve around sugarcane production and have been blamed on the disbandment of Sugar Tribunal.

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