New KACC

We wish to share with the Kenya public the progress in the recruitment exercise we embarked on in October 2009 to fill positions of a Director and two (2) Assistant Directors.

As you are all aware, we placed the adverts in the media on 2nd October 2009 for all the three positions, and a total of 197 applicants responded to the adverts.

The Board shortlisted 8 candidates for each of the three positions and the interviews were conducted between 23rd and 25th November 2009.

The following persons were selected for the three positions:-

DIRECTOR - DR PLO-LUMUMBA

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – LEGAL SERVICES - MR PRAVIN BOWRY

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, EDUCATION,
RESEARCH & PREVENTION - PROF. JANE KERUBO ONSONGO

Throughout the recruitment process, the Board was guided by law and its commitment to be impartial and independent. We were also alive to the palpable fact that Kenyans expect the process to be fair, and free from influence from any quarters. Above all, we were driven by the pressing need to recruit Kenyans of high integrity and competency who have the experience, courage and determination to fight the war against corruption and restore confidence of the nation on our quest to fight corruption.

We shall recommend the three persons to Parliament as required by law, immediately for their approval and subsequent appointment by His Excellency the President.

It is our conviction that Parliament will endorse the three.

A brief on the CVs of the three candidates:

DR PLO-LUMUMBA
A prominent lawyer and an advocate of the High Courts of Kenya and Tanzania, Dr Lumumba is a holder of Bachelors’ and Masters Degrees of Law from university of Nairobi, and a Doctor of Law from University of Gent, Belgium. He has taught law at University of Nairobi for 17 years and practiced for the last 23 years. Between 2001-2005, he was the Secretary/CEO of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. He is a member of LSK,ICJ, IBA and the Institute of Commonwealth associations among others.

He has published widely and is a prolific speaker on anti-corruption issues in the country.

The Board is convinced that Dr Lumumba can ably lead KACC in its mandate, and has the dynamism and interpersonal skills to rally the country behind him and build a wide consensus and partnership necessary to win the war against corruption.

MR PRAVIN BOWRY
Also a prominent lawyer and advocate of 38 years standing, Mr Bowry is an accomplished expert in criminal and civil law with unrivalled experience in court procedures and rules of evidence, both of which are critical in getting convictions in the many corruption cases in our courts.

A graduate of the Kenya School of Law in 1971, Mr Bowry has been in practice since then. He is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, and the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda, Arusha. He is a fearless advocate, an innovative thinker and has a penchant for detailed preparation of cases in courts.

The Board is settling for MR PRAVIN BOWRY was persuaded by the urgent need of having a senior and experienced lawyer to lead our civil litigation team of lawyers in pursuing through civil suits the recovery of corruptly acquired assets and also defend the Commission in constitutional reference cases filed against the Commission and render professional advice on the prosecutions department on economic crimes and corruption related cases.

PROF JANE ONSONGO
She is an Associate Professor of Education and Deputy Director of Research at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Prof Onsongo has a PhD in Higher and Further Education from University College London. She obtained her M.A in Women and Higher Education from the same university, an M.Ed in Education Communication and Technology from Kenyatta University and a BeD in History and Religious Education from the same University.

Prof. Onsongo will bring on a vast experience in education and research which is critical in designing policies and actions to change public perception about the vice of corruption.

(Mr Omogeni is the CHAIRMAN, KACC ADVISORY BOARD