A case challenging the appointment of four Kenyans to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission selection panel will be heard next Monday, on May 10,
Susan Muthoni sued the Attorney General and the Parliamentary Service Commission over the appointments of Dr Elizabeth Muli, Gideon Solonka, Awori James and Elizabeth Meyo as members of the panel.
Muthoni, in her suit papers, says the process of nomination of the four was not transparent because their posts were never advertised.
She said the IEBC selection panel is expected to publish the names of the shortlisted candidates on May 24 and give members of public seven days within which they should make submissions on the suitability of the candidates.
Afterwards there will be interviews of the shortlisted candidates, which is planned for May 31. The successful nominees' names will be sent to President Uhuru Kenyatta for appointment.
Muthoni says she is apprehensive that if her case is heard on July 14 as scheduled by the court, then it will have been overtaken by events.
In its reply, the PSC said there is no provision requiring it to advertise the positions as alleged.
It said considering the statutory timelines for it to make the nomination, it resolved to write to the majority side in Parliament to jointly nominate and recommend the names of three men and three women for consideration.
Equally, the commission resolved to write to the minority side in Parliament to jointly nominate and recommend names of three men and three women.
Subsequently the commission nominated the four for appointment as members of the selection panel.
Also, agencies except for the Kenya Revenue Authority gave the four a clean bill of health, saying they are compliant with requirements of integrity and leadership provided for in Chapter 6 of the Constitution.
The commission asked the court to decline to stop the process.
And when the matter came up before judge Anthony Mrima, it was fixed for hearing on May 10 before judge Joseph Makau.
(Edited by V. Graham)
