The National Assembly voted on Wednesday to confirm Dorcas Agik Oduor as the attorney general, officially making her the first woman to hold the post and filling the vacancy left by Justin Muturi, who President William Ruto dismissed alongside all but one of his cabinet secretaries after demonstrations over Finance Bill 2024 earlier last month.
Ms Oduor, a career Prosécut¡on Counsel with over 30 years of experience in law, was overwhelmingly approved by Members of Parliament (MPs) less than a week after being vetted for the role in front of the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointment. At the time, Ms Oduor, the Secretary of Public Prosecutions at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), promised to come up with a policy defining parameters of public participation within the first hundred days in office as the attorney general, if approved, to ensure public views are heard in the law-making process in the country.
“Public participation should be meaningful and impactful. We need to have standards and procedures on what public participation should be,” Ms Oduor told the committee chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
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Now, after her approval, consistently done with that of Beatrice Askul as the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Affairs, the symbolism of her appointment as the first female attorney general of Kenya since independence renewed and reinvigorated calls for women’s equality in leadership amongst the MPs.
“Without any fear of contradiction, I can attest that these are real examples of women who can lead this country to prosperity. They are distinguished women who have prospered in their respective careers. I am indeed convinced that they are women who can lead this country,” said Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, the Minority Party Whip in the National Assembly. “The Nomination of Beatrice Askul Moe and Dorcas Oduor also demonstrates that women from minorities and marginalised communities can also be leaders in the country.”
As the attorney general, Dorcas Oduor is the principal legal advisor of the government and is responsible for representing the national government in court or any other legal proceedings. She will also be tasked with providing policy, coordination, and oversight concerning various legal matters, giving advice and opinions to the president and the heads of the executive departments of the government when so requested.
As the 9th attorney general, Ms Oduor has vowed to restore public faith in the State Law Office.
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