Top lawyers gun for KACC job

By Beauttah Omanga

One hundred-and-fifty people have, so far, expressed interest in the plum position of Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission.

Sources at KACC headquarters told The Standard that the applications were still flowing in, to await vetting by the Commission’s Advisory Board.

"The applications are still coming but we can not disclose the numbers. It is unprocedural to do that. We will only do so at the close of the exercise," said KACC spokesman Ken Simani.

However, sources said leading lawyers had applied for the job whose monthly salary was reduced from Sh2.5 million to Sh1.65 million a month.

On Tuesday a member of the board Jacqueline Mugo said they are scheduled to meet next week to peruse the applications.

"We can’t tell who has applied until all the applications are produced before the board when we meet next week to look at them," said Ms Mugo. Justice Ringera resigned following intense public pressure. He, however, insisted that the President had acted within the law in reappointing him for a second five-year term.

He said he was satisfied that under his watch, the anti-corruption agency had yielded fruits.

Stayed put

Parliament nullified President Kibaki’s reappointment of Ringera and two of his assistants Fatuma Sichale and Smokin Wanjala.

Dr Wanjala resigned a few days after Parliament passed its verdict but Ringera and Sichale stayed put for a few more days before they quit.

Opinion has remained divided among leaders with Garsen MP Danson Mungatana said to be pushing for the scrapping of the anti-graft body altogether through a Bill he intends to introduce in Parliament.

While it was mandatory then that one had to be a judge to be appointed as head of KACC, this time round the Okong’o Omogeni-led board will be looking for anybody with a 15-year experience in managerial position either in private or public office.

He or she should possess an excellent understanding of KACC mandate and Kenya’s legal system.

The individual, the board indicated, should be a person of integrity, honesty with a distinguished service record besides being courageous and independent-minded capable of driving the anti-graft agenda forward.