By Wahome Thuku

Nairobi, Kenya: It was an interesting change of roles when the Lady Justice Kalpana Rawal faced several young lawyers in Parliament, urging them to approve her appointment as Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ).

Rawal, who has been a judge since 2000, was on Friday grilled by about ten familiar advocates, some of whom were in elementary classes when she started her legal career in Kenya in 1975.

The judge appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Justice, which vetted her for appointment to replace Nancy Barasa, who resigned last year.

A good number of new youthful lawyers in Parliament have joined the committee, being the most relevant to their profession. Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga, an advocate, chairs the committee. The vice-chair is Priscilla Nyokabi, also an advocate and now Nyeri Country women representative.

Other lawyers include former Law Society of Kenya vice-chair Florence Kajuju, now the Meru Women representative, MPs Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay), John Waiganjo (Ol-Jororok), Irungu Kangata (Kiharu), and T J Kajwang’ (Ruaraka).

Firm stand

Some of the lawyers have appeared before her and are victims of what Rawal described as her firm stand on lawyers who seek to delay justice.

But on Friday, it was their turn to be firm on the judge as they questioned her on previous judgments, academic background, her view of the Judiciary, her ambitions and other issues. “There is a claim from the young lawyers that you are temperamental,” one of the committee members told the judge.

“I am not temperamental, I am only firm to lawyers who attempt to delay their cases, especially the old matters in court,” she responded.

The lawyers interrogated Rawal on claims that she was the gatekeeper for the Executive in the Judiciary due to the highly political and sensitive cases and judicial matters she presided over.

“Is it always a coincidence that you are given these kind of cases or is it that every time there is an exciting issue it has to be presided by Rawal,” asked Kajwang’. Kaluma then asked her if she was the Executive’s gatekeeper in the Judiciary.

“I am not a gatekeeper of the Executive. When I take a case I don’t look sideways, I look at what is before me.”