NPSC nominees'approval stopped

By Judy Ogutu

Kenyans might have to wait longer before the National Police Service Commission nominees are approved.

This follows a High Court order temporarily stopping appointment of nominees to the position of chairperson and members of the commission&searchbutton=SEARCH'> commission.

On Thursday Justice Mohamed Warsame also directed the applicants in the case to file and serve the main suit within 21 days.

Two organisations, Men for the Equality of Men and Women and Women’s Political Alliance-Kenya, have moved to court where they are seeking for orders prohibiting President Kibaki from receiving the names from the Speaker of the National Assembly for appointment.

They had sought for the interim order suspending the process pending determination of the main suit or until further orders of the court.

President Kibaki nominated Ms Amina Masoud as the chairperson of the C commission&searchbutton=SEARCH'> commission, but Prime Minister Raila Odinga rejected her selection, claiming that he had not been consulted.

Kibaki also nominated Esther Chui-Colombini, Ronald Musengi, James Atema, Shadrack Mutia and Mary Owuor as members of the commission&searchbutton=SEARCH'> commission.

National assembly

The names of applicants for the position of chairperson and members of the commission&searchbutton=SEARCH'> commission have been forwarded to the National Assembly for approval and are due for vetting, consideration and approval by Parliament.

The two organisations have sued Kibaki, Raila, Festus Litiku, Ahmednasir Abdullahi, Lydia Gachoya, Caroli Omondi, Mutea Iringo, Kipng’etich Tororey and Peter Mwangi.

The applicants want the High Court to issue an order quashing the decision of the selection panel made on February 22, 2012.