Prime Cabinet Secretary (CS) Musalia Mudavadi has responded to claims that there are plans to make former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati the next Chief Justice (CJ).
The Foreign Affairs CS explained that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is independent and has the right to recruit anybody who qualifies to be a judge in Kenya.
Mudavadi emphasized that all qualified Kenyans including Chebukati are free to apply for the position of a judge.
The remarks by Prime CS Mudavadi came after Azimio leader Raila Odinga hinted that President William Ruto is planning to make Chebukati the CJ before the 2027 general elections.
Mudavadi further explained that it is wrong for the Azimio leadership to start determining who the JSC should recruit.
“You cannot tell us that a son of the soil in this area if they are interested whether it is Chebukati or someone else if he puts his bid for the position of a judge that is the responsibility of the JSC not that of politicians to try and direct JSC,” said Mudavadi.
“This kind of contradictions are not acceptable, therefore let’s stand strong so that we can move forward,” he added.
Ruto’s Appointees from Western Region
Additionally, Mudavadi mentioned some of the people president Ruto has appointed from the Western region.
Among them is Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Humphery Wattanga and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Mulele Ingonga.
“The president has given Wattanga a big role because in order to rebuild the economy, we must collect enough taxes and the person in charges of this process is a son from this region. This shows that the president is confident that people from this region can take care of the nation’s wealth.
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Others include Justus Wabuyabo CEO Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation CEO Rose Mkalam and Director General Communications Authority of Kenya David Mungonyi.
Kenyan ambassadors listed by Mudavadi include Fred Matwanga (Italy), Andambe Adanji (Japan), Joyce Maisi (Angola) and Kanel Amadi (DRC).
“I wanted to mention these names so that we consider them while making decisions,” said Mudavadi.
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Chebukati to be CJ-Raila
In a statement on February 2, 2024, Raila said that the plan to appoint Chebukati as CJ was hatched during a recent meeting that happened at State House involving the president and CJ Martha Koome.
“In that agreement, the five High Court Judges and two Court of Appeal Judges will be for Mr Ruto to forward to the JSC. And he floated the names.
“Immediate former IEBC Chairman Mr. Wafula Chebukati and former IEBC Chairman Ahmed Isaac Hassan are to be appointed as Court of Appeal judges with Chebukati be later elevated as the Chief Justice before 2027 General elections,” read part of the statement.
According to the opposition leader, the vacancies listed by CJ Koome seeking to appoint eleven judges to the Court of Appeal of Kenya is part of the plot to recruit Chebukati as CJ.
Koome announced vacancies through a Gazette notice dated February 2, 2024.
