The Judicial Service Commission has released shortlisted candidates for the positions of Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice. The names of the two shortlists have already shaped the battle lines. From the lists it is certain that the Chief Justice will be a man while the deputy justice will be a woman.
Only one woman, Lady Justice Roselyne Nambuye, made it to the short list of the top post, out of the six picked to be interviewed. Ms Nambuye’s die appears cast as the CJ’s position, whose occupant becomes the president of teh Supreme Court, has become a highly political post under the current constitution.
The race for Chief Justice now pits Justice Alnashir Visram, Justice Smokin Wanjala, Justice Roselyne N. Nambuye, Justice David Maraga, Justice Mbogholi Msagha and Mr Philip Nzamba Kitonga on the race to become the country’s new CJ. Acting Chair, Judicial Service Commission Prof Margaret Kobia, said the applications of the six individuals satisfied all the requirements reviewed.
“The Judicial Service Commission has today reviewed the applications received for the position of Chief Justice for completeness and conformity with the Constitutional and statutory requirements, the JSC Act and criteria outlined in the advertisement for the post,” Prof Kobia said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
