• Thirty-five High Court judges shortlisted.
• Public invited to avail information of interest on candidates.
Renowned High Court judges George Odunga and Ngugi Mumbi are among 35 shortlisted candidates seeking to be Court of Appeal judges.
Before his transfer to Machakos in April last year, Odunga was head of the Judicial Review Division of the High Court.
At the Milimani law courts, he presided over high-profile cases and delivered radical rulings that vetoed executive decisions. He has both critics and supporters.
Odunga nullified a Sh2.5 billion tender awarded to a Dubai-based firm for printing ballot papers in 2017 polls.
He also nullified sections of the controversial security laws, including powers for the spy agency to carry out special operations to avert terror attacks.
The rulings put him at odds with Jubilee politicians who accused him of being partisan
Last year he was awarded ICJ-Kenya Jurist of the Year.
In 2017, he was honoured for running the most efficient court division. The Judiciary Performance Management and Measurement Evaluation report showed Odunga heard and determined cases faster than his colleagues.
In 2016, Mumbi was deployed from the Constitutional and Human Rights Divisions to the High Court in Kericho.
This year, she was on the distinguished list, winning the ICJ-Kenya C.B. Madan Prize. In 2017, the Law Society of Kenya honoured her for distinguished service in the administration of justice and for being a staunch defender of the Bill of Rights.
Short-listed candidates include former commissioner at the National Police Service Commission, Murshid Abdalla Mohammed and Employment and Labour Relations Court principal judge Justice Maureen Atieno Onyango.
The interviews by Judicial Service Commission are scheduled for June 10 and expected to end on June 24 at the JSC board at Reinsurance Plaza.
Lichuma Winfred, former Gender Commission chair; Lilian Mahiri-Zaja, former IEBC vice chair; and Julius Lekakeny Sunkuli, former Internal Security minister and former Kilgoris MP, were among the 113 applicants who didn't make it to the shortlist.
“Members of the public are invited to avail, in writing, any information of interest in respect to any of the shortlisted candidates,” JSC secretary Anne Amadi said.
“Take note the commission may interview any member of the public who has submitted information on any of the shortlisted candidates and such information shall be kept confidential."
For the position of judges to the Environment and Land court, 229 applications were received and only 63 shortlisted. Interviews for will be held from July 15 to August 5.
For the Employment and Labour Relations court, 160 expressed interest, though only 29 were shortlisted. They will be interviewed from August 6 to 14.
Among those shortlisted are Gor Morara, George Mahamud, Jabane Mohamed and a former LSK vice-chairperson Lilian Renee Omondi.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)