Chief Justice Willy Mutunga tenure has been disappointing

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga is a man of many firsts. He has had a distinguished career as a lawyer, university professor and civil society leader.

When he was picked as the first Chief Justice under the new constitutional dispensation in June 2011, the nation held its breath, with good reason.

Finally, a new era for the Judiciary was at hand. We had a new Supreme Court comprising seven judges competitively interviewed for the job and placed on a pedestal as the first among equals. Dr Mutunga became its President.

These men and women, we hoped, were not only incorruptible, but were expected to serve justice hot, sweet and with precision. The Judiciary's days as a corrupt, inefficient and incompetent errand boy for the Executive were finally behind us.

But the high expectations were short-lived. Months after being sworn into office, the then Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, was caught up in an error of judgement at the upmarket Village Market and the rest is history.

Everything went downhill thereafter.

With his impending departure in June (one year before he was due to retire), Justice Mutunga's 5-year tenure has been both lacklustre and disappointing.