Thursday, December 23, 2010

House names six more to Kenya judicial team


A past session of Parliament. Photo/FILE
A past session of Parliament. Photo/FILE 
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Wednesday, December 22 2010 at 22:32

Parliament on Wednesday approved six more names of nominees to the Judicial Service Commission and sent the names to the President for appointment as required under the new Constitution.
Related Stories
The chairman of Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Ababu Namwamba and his deputy Njoroge Baiya marshalled the support of MPs to adopt the names, saying the formation of the commission had to be expedited.
There were good words for the nominees, with Ms Martha Karua terming two of them — Justice Cornelius Riaga Omollo and Mr Ahmednassir Abdullahi — as “some of the best legal minds in the country”.
“My favourite is (Mr) Ahmednassir. I have seen this man standing in the highest court land without intimidation and on that alone, I will support,” added Lands minister James Orengo.
Expedite reforms
Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo also backed the nominees saying the focus must now turn on expediting the reform in the Judiciary.
“We must have a new Chief Justice by February 27 next year…the application of a new Chief Justice has to go through the commission. I urge you to approve the names tonight, so that the President appoints them tomorrow,” said Mr Kilonzo.
Ms Karua and Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim welcomed the diversity in the nominees saying that there was need to have people who think differently.
New dawn
“It is a pity that we have not started renewal of our institutions. We have to move with speed,” Ms Karua said.
The former Justice minister added: “The government is dilly-dallying, if we have the old heavy weights sitting in the Judicial Service Commission, we’re going to be robbed of the new dawn.”
These old heavy weights are Attorney General Amos Wako, Chief Justice Evan Gicheru and PSC chairman Titus Gateere, who sit in the current commission.

No comments:

Post a Comment