Justice Isaac Lenaola appointed to Supreme Court

Justice Isaac Lenaola arrives at Supreme court to be vetted today on 12/October/2016 for Position of Judge of the supreme court.PHOTO BY EDWARD KIPLIMO

High Court judge Isaac Lenaola has been promoted to the Supreme Court.

The 49-year-old judge beat a pool of senior judges from the Court of Appeal who had applied for the position to replace retired judge Philip Tunoi.

Until his appointment, Justice Lenaola was the head of the Constitutional and Human Rights Division at the High Court.

“The Judicial Service Commission has, after lengthy deliberations, recommended Justice Lenaola for appointment as judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya and has submitted his name to President Uhuru Kenyatta,” said the commission’s Vice Chairperson Margaret Kobia.

Lenaola’s appointment dashed the hopes of several women’s organisations that petitioned the commission to appoint a woman to conform to the two-thirds gender rule at the Supreme Court.

Of the seven judges, only two are women; Lenaola’s appointment will increase the male judges to five.

The men include the court’s president, Chief Justice David Maraga, as well as justices Mohammed Ibrahim, Jackton Ojwang and Smokin Wanjala.

The National Gender Commission on Monday wrote to the JSC and President Uhuru Kenyatta demanding that the position is filled by one of the female candidates who were interviewed for the job.

SPECIFIC MEASURES

“The appointive body for the purpose of the Supreme Court of Kenya and the State organ with the responsibility of ensuring compliance is the Judicial Service Commission and is, therefore, expected to take specific measures to ensure compliance of two-thirds gender principle,” said the Gender Commission.

JSC however disregarded the women’s pleas and opted for Lenaola in a move seen as aiming to bring balance and cohesion to a Supreme Court that has been divided into two camps.

After his interview, Lenaola was considered the favourite for the position although JSC had played down the favourite tag.

In settling for Lenaola, JSC conformed to the principle of regional balance for the Supreme Court to reflect the face of Kenya.