Raila wants AG job advertised, bids for women

MONDAY, 01 AUGUST 2011 00:01 BY ISAAC ONGIRI

NO SHORTCUTS: PM Raila demands that the position of AG be advertised. Photo/File

A standoff has erupted over the anticipated appointment of the Attorney General with Prime Minister Raila Odinga demanding that the position be advertised. It is feared fresh divisions over the appointment could delay the unveiling of Amos Wako’s successor expected in 25 days. The demand scuttled the expected naming of Wako’s successor which was to be done before the end of last week.

The new AG will be the government’s advisor on legal matters and will be a member of the cabinet. Under the coalition government, the new AG will sit in the cabinet as from August 28 a day after Wako’s official exit. Raila’s demand is said to have angered President Kibaki who is arguing that the position is political and the appointment is similar to that of cabinet secretaries and therefore should not be advertised.

But Raila is said to be demanding that the position be reserved for a woman as a way of striking gender balance in the composition of constitutional offices.

Already, the two principles have appointed a male Chief Justice and Director of Public Prosecution, a move that has left the judiciary under the dominance of male leadership. “The PM is of the view that given that the other positions have been taken over by males, this one should go to a woman,” said a source at Prime Minister’s office.

Raila wants seriously qualified Kenyan women sensitised to develop interest in the seat by applying before the best candidate can be picked by a team of technical officers from the Public Service Commission, his Office and the President’s office.

So far the only woman known to be interested in the position is lawyer Betty Murungi while the rest are males and they include Prof. Githu Muigai, Fred Ojiambo, Philip Murgor, and Otiende Amolo among others.

Yesterday Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo said that advertising the position would be a show of transparency and would allow public participation in the process. “It is important that they follow the cue that has already been set in the public appointments so far. They should give the public and opportunity to participate,”Kilonzo said. The President, a source said has been pushing for the nomination of Prof.Muigai as the new AG a move previously seconded by the PM.