Troubled Justice team to decide nominees' fate

By Martin Mutua and Alex Ndegwa

The troubled Justice and Legal Affairs Committee is expected to set aside wrangles to vet the nominees for the positions of Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and Director of Public Prosecutions next week.

The committee has not met for several months because of sharp differences between MPs allied to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Dr Willy Mutunga (CJ) Nancy Barasa (Deputy CJ) and Keriako Tobiko (DPP) were picked through interviews last week.

Whereas members applauded the names when they were read out by Speaker Kenneth Marende yesterday, the battle for their endorsement seems to be far from over.

A House Business Committee meeting on Tuesday evening resolved to have the matter deliberated by the committee and directed the Speaker to issue the communication to the House.

Sources at the meeting told The Standard they resolved that the Coalition Government and Parliament’s administration should resolve the wrangling in the committee to have the matter expedited.

And Wednesday, Marende, in a communication from the chair, said the fate of Dr Mutunga, his proposed deputy Nancy Baraza and Keriako Tobiko as Director of Public Prosecution would be decided by the House next Thursday.

Marende directed the relevant House departmental committee to complete vetting of the nominees by Wednesday so that the House can debate its report the following day.

Committee woes

Sources attending the HBC meeting said the Liaison Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim would meet tomorrow to deliberate on the committee woes.

"It is true this matter is serious and we must find a solution once and for all," added the source.

The sources said the HBC had resolved the Justice Committee would then have to meet on Monday for house-keeping to resolve their differences.

And Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo, in a separate interview with The Standard, appealed to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to step in and resolve wrangles in the committee.

"If the two principals have endorsed the names, why would they allow a departmental committee to delay the process?" posed Mutula.

Mutula said the new Chief Justice should be endorsed by Parliament next week so that he and his deputy can preside over interviews for recruitment of Supreme Court judges from June 6.

Last week, the Speaker bypassed the committee and referred scrutiny of the Bill setting up the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee chaired by Abdikadir Mohammed.