NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 25 – Parliament on Thursday began vetting the nominees to the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC).
The Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs kicked off the exercise in the morning with scrutiny of the proposed CIC Chairman Charles Nyachae.
The team, chaired by Budalang\’i MP Ababu Namwamba then invited Prof Peter Wanyande and then the other seven nominees.
If Parliament approves the nominees, the Speaker shall within seven days forward the names of approved persons to the President for appointment.
The nine-member commission was proposed late on Wednesday by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga following a recruitment process that was conducted by the Public Service Commission over the weekend.
The nominations were announced in a statement from the President\’s Press Service.
It said: "Following consultations with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, President Mwai Kibaki has nominated the following persons as commissioners of the Commission for the Implementation of the new Constitution:
1. Charles Nyachae – Chairperson
2. Prof. Peter Wanyande – Member
3. Dr. Ibrahim M. Ali – Member
4. Dr. Elizabeth Muli – Member
5. Dr. Florence Omosa – Member
6. Ms. Catherine Muma – Member
7. Mr. Kamotho Waiganjo – Member
8. Mr. Philemon Mwaisaka Wawaka – Member
9. Mr. Kibaya Imaana Laibuta – Member
Mr Nyachae was among eight top lawyers had been shortlisted by the Public Service Commission for the post of Chairperson of the CIC, but the President\’s advisor Kivutha Kibwana and the PM\’s advisor Mutakha Kangu had been seen as frontrunners.
Other top contenders were former Law Society of Kenya chairpersons Gibson Kamau Kuria and Ambassador Raychelle Omamo.
Former Kiharu MP Kembi Gitura (Kenya\’s envoy to Belgium), the former Executive Director of Institute for Education in Democracy Koki Muli, and lawyer Mwangi Kariuki had also been shortlisted for the post.
The CIC is mandated to monitor, facilitate, and oversee the development of legislation and administrative procedures required to implement the Constitution.
According to the Constitution, the CIC should be created within 90 days after the President promulgates the new law. The new law was signed by the President on August 27.
"The National Assembly shall, within fourteen days consider all nominations received under subsection (6) and approve or reject any nomination."
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