The race to succeed former National Land Commissioner Muhamed Swazuri will get down to the wire on Monday as a selection panel kicks off interviews.
Former Isiolo Woman Representative Tiyah Galgalo, a career teacher, former Nyeri MP Esther Murugi and Naomi Wareka are the only women who made it to the shortlist of 11.
The four women will square it out with immediate former Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner-General John Njiraini, ex-Institution of Surveyors of Kenya Mwenda Makathimo and top city lawyer Gerishom Otachi.
Others are Robert Kilimo, former MP Humphrey Njuguna, Hussein Farah, Paul Wambua, Patrick Adolwa and Mwenda Kiambi.
Stakes are high as the five-member selection panel chaired by former Nyeri Woman Representative Priscilla Nyokabi gets down to work.
The Star has established that various candidates have heightened lobbying for the jobs with factions within the government said to be pushing their own favourites.
What has attracted intense manoeuvres behind the scenes is the position of chairperson of the crucial commission, with both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto's wings of Jubilee keen on the position.
Even before interviews are done, Njiraini is seen as the favourite for the position and is said to be enjoying the backing of Uhuru's side of the divide.
The DP's wing is said to be pushing for Makathimo to succeed Swazuri at the helm of NLC while Galgalo is seen to enjoy support from KANU's Gideon Moi and opposition leader Raila Odinga's.
Analysts say the Uhuru-Ruto conflicting interests could give Galgalo a cutting edge amid a push for the first woman NLC chairperson and the fact that the ex-Isiolo MP served as a commissioner in the defunct Interim Independent Electoral Commission.
"The interests are too high and a lot is happening behind the scenes," a senior official in the presidency said.
Njiraini, who had worked as the country's taxman since 2012, faces an uphill task, in his push for the job following issues surrounding his stint at KRA.
During his tenure, tax evasion rackets were accused of running the show at Times Tower amid a slump in revenue collections that fell short of the projections.
The government is said to have been losing billions of shillings through rogue KRA staff accused of colluding with unscrupulous businessmen to smuggle goods without paying requisite taxes.
However, in May, the multi-billion shilling tax evasion racket was broken leading to dozens of arrests of the state body’s employees.
Those arrested and now facing charges included senior managers, tens of supervisors and their juniors within the customs and domestic tax departments.
But Njiraini is credited with rolling out technology and legal interventions to enhance tax compliance.
Swazuri's term, which ended in February, was mired in graft allegations over fraudulent compensation schemes that led to his arraignment alongside other top commission officials for corruption charges
Edited by R.Wamochie
