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Kenya

Miller was our best bet, says PSC boss

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 26 – The chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs Mohammed Abdikadir insists that Nairobi Lawyer Cecil Miller was best suited to head the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC).

Mr Abdikadir, who was speaking on the Power Breakfast show on Citizen Television, says the process was muddled by political intrigues.

"To us he was the best candidate for the job but the House made its decision and we all acknowledge that Parliament being a political institution… such a process can be muddy and untidy," he said.

He added that the National Assembly rejected Miller’s nomination out of mere allegations and not facts.

"While considering his nomination, we looked at police records and even the civil records of the divorce case and there was nothing to show that he is a wife batterer as claimed in Parliament," Mr Abdikadir said.

He observed that the rejection was unfair.

"Once a person is opened up to such scrutiny, people can say anything some of which may not be based on facts."

The MP said Mr Miller turned down a subsequent entreaty to seek fresh nomination.

"We even gave Miller an opportunity to re-apply for the job but he chose not to because of the allegations that had been made."

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He clarified that Mr Miller’s professional work would not have interfered with the running of the IIEC.

"There was also no conflict of interest on his case much as he represented (Garsen MP Danson) Mungatana.  The conflict of interest would have come only if after securing the job he continued to use the information/position to favour his client."

He said even though Mr Miller had declined to take part in the fresh nomination, he hoped they would find a suitable candidate.

"We are hoping to do our best to have a candidate by the end of next week so that when the President recalls Parliament we are ready to table the name of the new chairman," said Mr Abdikadir.

He added: "We hope this time that the candidate we nominate out of the 11 that we have shortlisted will be out of consensus to avoid a repeat of what happened the last time."

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