Seven candidates nominated by JSC for appellate court judge appointment

President Uhuru Kenyatta [right] and JSC chairperson CJ Martha Koome. [File, Standard]

Chief Justice Martha Koome has forwarded the names of seven out of the 30 candidates interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission for Appellate judges’ posts.

The seven are High Court principal judge Lydiah Achode, Justices Luka Kimaru, Abida Ali Aroni, John Mativo, Frederick Ochieng, Grace Ngenye and an outsider, Lawyer Paul Gachoka.

“After lengthy deliberations and careful consideration of the performance of the various candidates based on the constitutional imperative of merit, gender, regional balance, affirmative action and public interest, the JSC has recommended the appointment of the underlisted to the Office of Judge of the Court of Appeal and has submitted their names to His Excellency the President for appointment,” CJ Koome, JSC chairperson said.

JSC began conducting the interviews for the thirty candidates who were shortlisted for the Court of Appeal judges' posts on Monday, June 27.

The interviews had been delayed after the High Court barred the Commission from conducting them following a suit filed by the Katiba Institute.

Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi said four candidates will be interviewed per day starting from 9 am to 4 pm.

Katiba Institute had sued CJ Koome and the Commission.

It was seeking to stop the recruitment of new judges until the six judges who were left out by President Uhuru Kenyatta out of 41 hired in previous recruitment are appointed into office.

While issuing a stay, Justice Anthony Mrima argued that the Katiba Institute and co-petitioners had laid the legal basis to suspend the process being undertaken by the Judicial Service Commission.

The orders were, however, suspended by the Court of Appeal which ruled that the lobby had failed to demonstrate what prejudice they would suffer if the recruitment process proceeded as intended.