Work already cut out for next Chief Justice

 

Interviews for the new Chief Justice begin today. The position fell vacant after former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga resigned the position last month, a year earlier than he was constitutionally scheduled to leave office.

Mr Mutunga’s reason for leaving earlier was altruistic; he wanted a new Chief Justice in office early enough to be able to handle any electoral disputes that might arise out of the 2017 General Election.

The position of Chief Justice is a demanding calling that requires one to be above reproach, of the highest moral standards, non-partisan, yet fair to all. The selection of a Chief Justice comes at a time the Judiciary has been dragged through murk because of the conduct of some of the judges whose credibility has been questioned.

Rather than be a slayer of corruption, sections of the Judiciary seem to have been co-opted into the practice, thus lowering public trust in its ability to be impartial. The working relationship between judges and the Judicial Service Commission has been acrimonious, at times hampering the delivery of justice and affecting performance.

These are some of the issues a new Chief Justice will have to address himself to. The in-coming Chief Justice must be someone who will be able to continue with the reforms that Dr Mutunga had started in a bid to restore lost credibility in the Judiciary.

It must be someone who will win the trust of all and a team player. Kenya’s Supreme Court, the first under the new Kenya constitution 2010, has not had a smooth run.

It has been beset by scandals and in-fighting, besides being at loggerheads with the Judicial Service Commission.The perception that a new Chief Justice brings to the Supreme Court will determine the trust and working relationship the public and other institutions have with it.