Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya withdraws from race for deputy CJ

Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya. She has withdrawn from race to be Deputy Chief Justice. (PHOTO: EDWARD KIPLIMO/ STANDARD)

Nairobi: Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya has withdrawn from race to be Deputy Chief Justice.

Lady Justice Nyamweya, who is the presiding judge of Machakos Law Courts, said that in the spirit of ethnic diversity, it will be unfair to other Kenyan communities for her to be the DCJ even if she qualifies since she comes from the same region as CJ nominee Justice David Maraga.

The search for the next Deputy Chief Justice is ongoing until Thursday, upon which the nominee's name will be forwarded to the President. President Uhuru has already submitted the name of Justice Maraga the National Assembly for consideration.

Lady Justice Nyamweya has previously served as head of the Environment and Land Court in Nairobi.

In 2003, she was appointed the secretary of the capital markets tribunal and also served as the deputy secretary for the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission from 2001 to 2006.

At the time she was appointed a judge in August 2012, Lady Justice Nyamweya was teaching law in the areas of insurance law, administrative law, business law, conflict of laws, family law and gender law both at University of Nairobi and University of Zimbabwe.