NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 5 – Attorney General Amos Wako now says he plans to crown his two-decade tenure as the country\’s chief legal advisor with the smooth implementation of the new Constitution.
Mr Wako who has under eight months left in office says he is going to focus his energies in ensuring that most of the needed 47 legislations to anchor the new law are passed this year.
"I want to focus on nothing else but the legislations required. That will be my focus," he told journalists after meeting members of the newly formed Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution.
Under the new law Mr Wako is also the acting Director of Public Prosecution awaiting a substantive appointment, crowding his diary.
"I am also suggesting that the post of DPP be filled as quickly as possible so that I am released from looking at some of these files so that I can focus on legislation," said Mr Wako.
According to the new Constitution, President Mwai Kibaki in consultation with Prime Minister Raila Odinga is mandated to appoint a new Attorney General to replace Wako by August 27 this year.
There have been calls for the post – and that of the Chief Justice – to be filled simultaneously to inject new blood to the county\’s justice system. The CJ is expected to leave office by the end of next month, six months before Mr Wako\’s deadline.
Mr Wako who has served the country as Attorney General since 1991 has revealed he may venture into politics once he quits office.
"I am listening to people and the people are really talking on the ground and I am assessing what they are saying," he said.
The skilled lawyer also hinted he could take up international job as an arbitrator.
"I will be more experienced and earn more than I am earning now," he said.
In the meantime Mr Wako revealed that the government has now hired four legal experts from the Commonwealth to help draft new laws that will facilitate implementation of the new Constitution.
He said the experts who start working on the new laws next month, have expertise in finance, land matters, local government and devolution. The four are Michael Wright, Ian Gray, Werner Krull and Magaret Ndawula.
"I have accepted the four who meet strict criteria as I set out," he said.
When he met members of the CIC, Mr Wako pledged his unwavering support to the team.
The chairman Charles Nyachae and the other officials were sworn-in on Tuesday by Chief Justice Evan Gicheru and immediately vowed to carry out their work independently to ensure the new Constitution is fully implemented.
Mr Nyachae said his commission has began work and was upbeat they would meet the strict implementation deadlines outlined in the Constitution.
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