The search for a person to fill in the vacant position of a Supreme Court judge ended yesterday with the disqualification of a candidate.
Self-proclaimed ‘professor’ Kevin Mare was sent out of the interviewing room by Judicial Service Commission chairperson Margaret Kobia for not having the relevant testimonials.
“The commission submits that you are not qualified and we discontinue the interview,” she said.
Mare, who said he got a diploma from the Technical University of Mombasa in 2008, declared himself a professor in 2010 after holding a public lecture. He said he invited professors to come for the lecture, but they never showed up. And after addressing a few students, he bestowed on himself the title ‘professor’.
Attorney General Githu Muigai sought to know his law background. Mare said he did his pupilage after completing primary school education.
“I don’t have a law degree, but I have a lot of knowledge in the law profession,” he said.
Mare is among the candidates who were added to the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and the apex court list of applicants following a court order.
Others were Prof Makau Mutua, Supreme Court judge Jacktone Ojwang, retired judge Aaron Ringera, lawyer David Waihiga, defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya member Daniel Wambura, televangelist Lucy Wanja and carpenter Paul Kongani for CJ.
Others were magistrate Judith Wanjala and chemist Isaac Rutenberg for DCJ.
Court of Appeal judge Karanja Wanjiru did not show up for the interview yesterday, saying the panel should rate her using her results in the DCJ interviews.
JSC communication officer Saulo Morton said following the communication, the interviews had ended and it was now upon the commission to announce a nominee for the post.
During the DCJ interviews in which Court of Appeal judge Philomena Mwilu was selected, Wanjiru said delay in issuing judgment breeds corruption. She said litigants tend to compromise magistrates and judges when they hold on to rulings for long.
Responding to questions from the JSC interview panel, Karanja, an applicant for the Deputy Chief Justice post, said judgments should be delivered as soon as the case is concluded. The judiciary says judgments are supposed to be delivered after one month.
Karanja said she will ensure corruption is eliminated from the judiciary.