Justice Lucy Kambuni: Legal mind facing mixed fortunes

Justice Lucy Muthoni Kambuni in a past session of commission of inquiry. [Photo: Courtesy]

Justice Lucy Muthoni Kambuni is a familiar name in the realm of Kenya’s judiciary. She may not be controversial, vocal or even much talked about lawyer, but atleast she has a grip of attention among Kenyans.

Today she was elected to the Advisory Committee on Nomination of ICC judges during Assembly of States Parties meeting at The Hague. This means that she joins Justice Joyce Aluoch as one of Kenyan lawyers who are providing legal services to The Hague-based court.

Commissions of inquiry

Justice Kambuni has been a preferable appointee to various commissions in the country for example, in March 2015 when Makueni County government was locked in a tussle pitting county assembly members and Governor Kivutha Kibwana, Justice Kambuni was appointed as the lead assisting counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into the petition to suspend Makueni County government.

Another high profile state appointment came on her plate when former President Mwai Kibaki picked her as the lead assisting counsel in the commission investigating the crash of helicopter that was carrying George Saitoti and Orwa Ojode.

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga also appointed her as a member to the Employment and Labour Relations Rules Committee, where she serves currently as the Vice Chairperson.

However, her journey has been that of mixed fortunes. On February 2013, Kambuni applied for the position of Deputy Chief Justice which had been rendered vacant after the ouster of the first female DCJ Justice Nancy Baraza. She had to fight allegations of defaulting on remittance of tax. Before the JSC, Justice Kambuni said that her non-tax compliance was attributed to the delay by her auditor to do the submissions on time. She later cleared the air by producing a certificate of compliance from the Kenya Revenue Authority.

In March 2018, Justice Kambuni was among the three shortlisted candidates that battled it out for the position of Director of Public Prosecutions.

She and lawyer Jacob Nyakundi became the unlucky applicants as DPP Noordin Haji was picked for the position.