Stella Atambo: I'm a solid defender of justice

Five magistrates are running for one magistrate’s slot on the 11-member Judicial Service Commission.  Although the campaigns have not played out in the media, the five candidates have engaged in vicious campaigns as they move from court to court. Some candidates have been accused of harassing, intimidating and victimising magistrates who are backing their opponents.

Those running to replace Emily Ominde are Everlyn Olwande, the Limuru Senior Principal Magistrate, the Shanzu-based Senior Principal Magistrate Florence Macharia, Kiambu's Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo, her Colleague Teressa Nyangena, also a senior principal magistrate and Senior principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego.

JSC is a powerful organ. It appoints judges (except for the CJ and DCJ), handles complaints about judges’ and can initiate removal. It can remove magistrates.  More than 500 magistrates will vote in December.

This is the first of a series of five articles about the candidates. 

STELLA ATAMBO: I'M A SOLID DEFENDER OF JUSTICE

Senior principal magistrate Stella Atambo, who joined the Judiciary in 2005, says she has the experience, intelligence and charisma for the job “and great love for humanity”.

In an interview with the Star, she called herself a “solid defender of justice… accessible, amiable… socially and emotionally intelligent". 

Atambo said she has risen through the ranks of magistracy on her own merit.

“To crown all these [attributes],” she said, she is a chartered mediator trained at the Mediation Training Institute. This experience facilitates her work as a magistrate so she is easily able to reconcile parties without going through the hearing process in some cases, she said.

She has served at the Attorney General’s Office as a state counsel in the civil litigation department. This government experience enabled her to understand the system, Atambo said.

She said she “perfectly” understands issues such as transfers, promotions and salary disparities, especially in the lower ranks, and the disciplinary process.

“My emotional and social intelligence attributes would ensure solutions on behalf of my colleagues as a representative. I have the charisma to network and lobby on these issues affecting us.”

Asked if she is Chief Justice David Maraga’s candidate, she said as the CJ and JSC chairman, he is everybody’s Chief Justice.

“I am a magistrate who lives in my own glory and competencies," she said.

Though considered a late entrant in the race, Atambo said there wasn’t a campaign period, so she wasn’t “late”, she was strategising and consulting on the five-year job.

The JSC member position pays sitting allowances only and over 500 magistrates will vote in December. 

When asked who was backing her campaign, she said only, "My zeal to leave the Judiciary a better place than I found it is the driving force behind me.”

What does she hope to do if elected?

“The first pillar of my manifesto is accessibility, which wraps up all the other issues affecting us because when you are accessible, it can all be addressed,” Atambo said.

She said she “embraces an all-inclusive teamwork spirit and prioritises welfare generally and promotes an internal disputes resolution mechanism".

The senior principal magistrate said capacity building is needed in the new Covid-19 work mode because of social distancing and other protocols to prevent the spread of the infection.

The Judiciary must adjust to a new normal and we must innovate to continue working effectively, Atambo said.

As JSC decisions are made by voting, she said, she has the ability to network and lobby non-judicial officers “by telling them our story as magistrates. Once our story is told and it’s out there, then all else will fall into place."

Asked about issues affecting the Judiciary, she cited [drawn out] disciplinary process timelines, stagnation in job groups, promotions, transfers and salary disparities.

Atambo said working conditions "need to be looked into”. She called their medical policy good but in need of improvement.

“Accessibility will keep me constantly in touch with our problems that will be continually be discussed at the JSC,” she said.

The senior principal magistrate said an improved judicial culture, improved welfare and an internal mechanism of solving disputes before they get to the disciplinary process “would be a great win for all of us".

This internal mechanism would minimise disciplinary cases so only those that are serious would go before the JSC, she said.

 Atambo is married with children.

Asked about balancing work and family, she said, “A woman is created to balance and she is the voice of reason and a balance in a home. For me, that balance is easy as the genetic makeup of every woman.

“My family has been my root support for service delivery. They are the reason I am who I am today and I fully subscribe to Article 45 of the Constitution. It says:

“The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and the necessary basis of social order and shall enjoy the recognition and protection of the State.” 

 Asked about her rivals for the JSC seat, she called them “worthy opponents” but said, “I am better placed to sustain and contain the heat at the Judicial Service Commission and my charisma, confidence and ability to negotiate speak for themselves."

Tomorrow we publish Everlyne Olwande's story.

(Edited by V. Graham)

Here is Atambo's full interview

Who is Stella Atambo?

I am a Senior Principal Magistrate currently serving at Kiambu law courts and am a solid defender of Justice. I am an accessible, amiable and charismatic person who is socially and emotionally intelligent. I have great love for humanity.

I am an accomplished judicial officer who’s risen through the ranks of magistracy on merit.

To crown all this, I'm a chartered mediator trained at the Mediation Training Institute (MTI) and this facilitates my work as a magistrate so that am able to reconcile parties easily without going through the hearing processes in some of the cases.

When did you join the Judiciary?

I joined the Judiciary in the year 2005 as a resident magistrate

Why are you in the race for the JSC?

I had a short stint at the AG’s office as a state counsel in the civil litigation department and hence have that government experience which makes me understand the system very well. I understand our issues perfectly such as transfers, promotions, salary disparities especially at the lower ranks and the disciplinary process.

My emotional and social intelligence attributes would ensure solutions, on behalf of my colleagues, as a representative. I have the charisma to network and lobby on these issues affecting us.

Why did you declare your candidature so late or was it an afterthought?

I don’t know what late means because as far as the JSC elections are concerned there is no official campaign period that has been declared.

I took time to declare my candidature because I was strategizing and consulting that is my strategy.

Some say that you are CJ David Maraga’s candidate is it true?

Well, the Honorable Chief Justice is our Chief Justice, the president of the Supreme Court the Chair of JSC and hence everybody’s Chief Justice.

I am a magistrate who lives in my own glory and competencies.

Who is backing you?

I have risen through the ranks on merits and as such, I understand the issues that affect us as magistrates. In my quest to add value to what I have gained over the years together with my attributes of charisma confidence and humility I believe would bring a positive change.

My zeal to leave the Judiciary a better place than I found it is the driving force behind me.

What do you hope to do if elected?

The first pillar on my manifesto is accessibility which wraps up all the other issues that are affecting us because when you are accessible, it can all be addressed.

I will embrace an all-inclusive teamwork spirit, improved judicial culture and prioritize welfare generally and promote an internal disputes resolution mechanism.

We need capacity building for the magistrates and judges in our new mode of work. A lot has changed due to COVID19 pandemic effects hence a new normal that we must adjust to. We now have to innovative to continue working effectively.

The decisions at the commission are made by voting and I have the ability to network and lobby the non-Judicial officers by telling them our story as magistrates. Once our story is told and it’s out there then all else will fall into place.

What are the key issues affecting the judiciary and what solutions are you proposing?

We have key issues such as us disciplinary processes timelines, stagnation in one job group for quite some time, promotions, transfers and salary disparities.

Further, we have a medical policy which is good, however, it needs improvement and our working conditions as well need to be looked into.

Accessibility will keep me constantly in touch with our problems that will be continually discussed at the JSC.

With improved judicial culture and welfare, an internal mechanism of solving our disputes before they get to disciplinary process this would be a great win for all us.

It will minimize disciplinary cases to those that are deserving that would go before the JSC.

Can you tell us about your family?

I am married and blessed with children.

How do you balance work and family?

A woman is created to balance and she is the voice of reason and a balance in a home. For me, that balance is as easy as the genetic makeup of every woman and I will tell you my family has been my root support for service delivery. They are the reason I am who I am today and I will tell you as a person I subscribe to article 45 of the constitution fully.

What do you think about your opponents?

My opponents are worthy opponents, but I strongly believe that I am better placed to sustain and contain the heat at the Judicial Service Commission and at the same time my charisma, confidence, ability to negotiate speak for themselves and I'm equal to the task.