JSC shortlists candidates to replace David Maraga

NAIROBI, KENYA: The race to succeed David Maraga in the office of Chief Justice is on top gear with three candidates knocked down from a shortlist of 13 applicants.

Judicial Service Commission on Wednesday said it has settled on 10 candidates to be interviewed from April 12-30. JSC has also picked nine candidates for the position of Judge of the Supreme Court.

Shortlisted candidates for the Chief Justice position include Chitembwe Said Juma, Kameri Mbote, Koome Martha, Marete Njagi, Murgor Philip, Nduma Nderi, Fredrick Ngatia, Ouko William, Wekesa Moniand Alice Jepkoech.

Candidates shortlisted for the position of Judge of the Supreme Court are Said Juma, Martha Koome, Marete Njagi, M’Inoti Kathurima, Nduma Nderi, Patrick Lumumba, Ouko William, Joseph Kiplagat, and Alice Jepkoech.

The lucky candidate to fill the vacancy of Chief Justice will earn a gross monthly salary of between Sh990,000 to over Sh 1.3million excluding benefits.

He or she will hold the office for a maximum of ten years or on attaining the age of 70 years with the option for early retirement upon attaining the age of 65 years under the law.

Requirements for the position include a law degree from recorgnised University, 15 years’ experience as a superior court judge, high moral character, integrity, and impartiality.

The process of appointing a new Chief Justice to replace David Maraga as Chief Justice begun officially when Acting Chief Justice Philemona Mwilu gazetted a vacancy in the top job.

Mwilu issued the notice in her capacity as acting chair of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The immediate occupant of the office David Maraga was the second judge to be appointed CJ under the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Maraga is credited with implementing far-reaching reforms that, among others, led to a drastic drop in the backlog of cases and building courts in almost all the counties.

He is also credited with shielding the Judiciary from executive interference, allowing judges to make a precedent-setting ruling that the powers that be the wrong way.

But the hallmark of his tenure remains the Supreme Court’s ruling that nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta’s win in the 2017 elections, which saw the executive “revisit” by cutting the Judiciary’s budget.