NAIROBI, Kenya May 28 – Morris Kimuli is on Friday expected to take oath of office to represent the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) in the Selection Panel established to nominate replacements of four Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioners who resigned in 2017 and 2018.
This is after President Uhuru Kenyatta revoked the nomination of Dorothy Jemator Kimengench through a gazette notice.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 1(1) of the First Schedule to the IEBC Act, 2011, I, Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces appoint Morris Kimuli to be a member of the Selection Panel of the selection of nominees for the appointment of members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The appointment of Kimengech Dorothy Jemator is revoked,” a gazetted notice dated May 26.
Jemator’s nomination by an LSK faction led chief executive Mercy Wambua sparked fireworks in the council, with embattled President Nelson Havi objecting and instead nominated Kimuli.
Havi said Jemator cannot serve as an appointee of the LSK and continue serving as a state officer in the Energy and Petroleum Tribunal; the HIV/Aids Tribunal; and the BBI Steering Committee.
At the same time Lawyer Sheila Mugo moved to court and obtained orders barring Jemator from being a member on grounds of unsuitability because she sits in two state tribunals and is a member of the BBI Steering Committee.
The Selection Panel led Elizabeth Muli on Tuesday published 669 applicants who had expressed interest in filling the four vacancies left following the resignations of IEBC Vice Chairperson Consolata Nkatha, and commissioners Roselyn Akombe, Paul Kurgat and Margaret Mwachanya.