KENYA: CJ sued over High Court judges hiring

By NATION CORRESPONDENT.

An activist has sued Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and the Judicial Service Commission over their conduct in hiring new judges.

Mr Caleb Okech claims the CJ and the JSC have short-listed 76 candidates for the post of High Court judge in a manner that contravenes the Constitution and wants orders stopping the recruitment.

“The process of shortlisting and criteria for selecting the candidates was done in a non-transparent manner, in discrimination and ought to be stopped,” swore Mr Okech.

Through lawyer Albert Kuloba, the activist wants orders suspending interviews and recommendation for appointment of new judges based on the short-list until the case is determined.

JSC in January advertised 40 vacancies and on May 7 published a list of 76 short-listed candidates out of the 193 who applied.

Mr Okech argues that the criteria used to select the 76 was not clear, and that analysis of the short-listed candidates reveal conspiracy to lock out more qualified candidates. The hearing is on May 30.

Source: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/CJ-sued-over-High-Court-judges-hiring/-/1056/1864388/-/21ddhh/-/index.html