Eric Mutua re-elected as LSK chair.

By Wilfred Ayaga

Nairobi, Kenya: Lawyer Tom Ojienda is the new Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) while current chairman Eric Mutua has retained his seat.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi was the society’s representative to the JSC.

Over 6,000 lawyers from across the country turned up to cast their votes in a hotly contested campaign that was said to have been one of the most expensive in the society’s history.

Mutua defeated two other candidates, Charles Kanjama and Ambrose Weda.

Mutua garnered over 60 per cent of the votes against his closest rival, Kanjama who garnered about 13 per cent.Ojienda will serve as the LSK representative to the JSC for the next two years.

In his acceptance speech, Ojienda promised to continue with the fight for transparency within the JSC. He thanked the LSK members for giving him the mandate to lead the society.

Peaceful

The tenure of the outgoing LSK representative at the JSC was marked by controversy. During the vetting exercise for magistrates and judges, the senior counsel was accused of being too abrasive.

Earlier in the day, lawyers from across the country yesterday lined up to cast their votes in a peaceful exercise supervised by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

In Nairobi, most of the candidates, including Ahmednassir, cast their votes at the Supreme Court where the IEBC had set up a polling station. However, majority of the lawyers voted at the Milimani Law Courts polling station. The LSK has a membership of about 4,000 across the country. The elections of the society’s chairman and that of its representative to the JSC were held simultaneously.

According to the returning officer the elections were free and fair.

Most lawyers expressed confidence in their incoming of the LSK chairman and the JSC representative.

JSC is the employer of judicial officers and as the LSK representative to the JSC, Ojienda will among other duties be involved in the vetting of judicial officers, including magistrates and judges.

Elsewhere, the polling station at the Kitui Law Courts opened at 8am but started streaming in an hour later.

Officials from the IEBC led by the County Co-ordinator John Matekwa arrived at the station on time ready for the exercise.

Good turn out

The voting went on smoothly without any hitch reported.

And in Kisumu County elections went on smoothly. Kisumu Law Courts Presiding Officer Peres Maiyo said they opened the station on time and there was a good turn out.

“We are impressed at the turnout of lawyers to elect their leaders. So far a good number turned up to vote,” she said.

Western Region LSK Chairman Richard Onsongo said counting began immediately after 5pm.

Kisumu County LSK has approximately 80 members and about 80 per cent turned up for the exercise.

“We can say everything went on smoothly. The lawyers upheld the nobility of the profession,” he said.

Kabaru wa Ndegwa, and Erick Okong’o Mogeni also contested for the Judicial Service Commission slot.

The position of vice chairman was contested by Lillian Renee Omondi against Faith Waigwa.

–Additional reporting by Maureen, Maureen Odiwuor and Paul Mutua