Lady Justice Roselyne N. Nambuye and Ms Lucy Wanja Julius are the only female applicants for the post of Chief Justice/XINHUA-File
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 8 – Fourteen candidates have applied for the position of Chief Justice, among them two women.
The Judicial Service Commission further received 15 applications for the position of Deputy Chief Justice and 21 for Supreme Court Judge.
Those who applied for the position of the CJ include Supreme Court Judges Smokin Wanjala, Jackton Ojwang, Appeal Court Judge Alnashir Visram, High Court Judges Mbogholi Msagha, David Maraga and former anti-corruption boss Aaron Ringera.
Others include the US based Professor Makau Mutua, David Mwaure, Dr Isaac Rutenberg, Daniel Wambura, Kongani Udoto and former Committee of Experts Chairman Nzamba Kitonga.
Lady Justice Roselyne Nambuye and Lucy Wanja are the only two women who applied for the top Judiciary position.
Lady Justices Hannah Okwengu, Justice Abida Ali Aroni, Agnes Murgor, Wanjiru Karanja, Philomena Mwilu and Fatuma Sichale sent their applications for the position of the Deputy CJ following the exit of the Kalpana Rawal.
Others are Lady Justices Lydia Achode, Pauline Nyamweya, Martha Koome and Nambuye who had also applied for the CJ’s position.
Surinder Kapila, Pamela Mwikali Tutui, Joyce Miguda Majiwa and Judith Wanjala are others who sent their applications for the job of DCJ before the Wednesday deadline.
Waihiga who tried his luck for the CJ’s position was the only man who applied for the DCJ’s job that has previously been occupied by women including the first DCJ under the new Constitution, Nancy Barasa.
The position of Supreme Court Judge received most applications with 10 women out of the 21 individuals who lodged their applications.
Lady Justices Koome, Murgor, Nambuye and Justices Msagha, Visram and Dr Rutenberg applied also for the Supreme Court Judge’s position.
Appeal Court Judge Erastus Githinji and High Court Judge Isaac Lenaola joined the applicants seeking to fill the Supreme Court Judge’s position.
Others included Wanjiru Karanja, Philomena Mwilu, Fatuma Sichale, Pauline Nyamweya, Joseph Kiplangat Sergon and Luka Kimaru, Judith Wanjala, Waihiga, Prof. Kevin Faustine O. Mare, John Chebii Kipkoech, Pamela Mwikali Tutui, Dr Kibaya Laibuta and Joyce Miguda Majiwa.
The JSC is expected to convene a meeting on Monday to review the applications received for the three positions in the Judiciary.
“The Commission will review applications for completeness and conformity with the necessary requirements within 14 days and within 21 days of the initial review conduct reference checks in an effort to review, verify and supplement information provided by applicants,” communication from the Judiciary stated.
Review of the applications will involve contacting referees and former employers to verify the suitability of the candidates for the positions.
“Although the Commission has 30 days to conduct the reference checks, the background investigations and verifications may continue until the time the Commission votes on its nominees for the respective positions,” acting JSC chair Prof Margaret Kobia explained.
The review process also allows members of the public to send their observations or complaints about the applicants seeking to fill the three positions.
Former Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga, former DCJs Barasa and Rawal as well as former Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi were among the first batch of candidates for the judicial jobs to be vetted publicly.
Their positions fell vacant following the exit of Mutunga on June 16 and the retirement of Rawal and Tunoi.
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