CIC blames politics for legal affairs impasse

Written By:Catherine Achieng'a,    Posted: Fri, May 27, 2011

CIC chair Charles Nyachae warns that the politicall class are stalling the implementation process

The Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) is faulting political actors for failing to resolve the standoff in the Justice Committee that has since stalled debate on the list of 3 judicial nominees.

With just five months into the implementation of the constitution, the CIC that is tasked with overseeing the process says the country is been held at ransom by its political leadership.

The commission, taking exception with the pace at which parliament is debating and adopting bills, says the standoff in the justice committee and by extension parliament has blocked debate on the list of three judicial nominees.

The nominees include the persons nominated to the office of Chief Justice, his deputy and the Director of Public Prosecutions, already approved by the executive.

But even as the CIC wants a speedy resolution to beat its constitutional deadlines the catholic fraternity wants parliament to tread with caution when debating the list.

Church's resistance 

In an advertiser's announcement signed by 24 right reverends and chair of the Kenya Episcopal secretariat His Eminence John Cardinal Njue, the church say "We are convinced only candidates who meet the criteria of integrity should be considered. The excessive emphasis on academic excellence and radical reformism is not sufficient. Justice fundamentally involves moral order."

The latest demand by the church comes just a day after an opinion poll indicated 80% of Kenyans support Willy Mutunga's and Nancy Baraza's nominations.