Editor's Review

President Uhuru Kenyatta has been urged not to appoint the next Chief Justice basing on tribe.

Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has sent a message to President Uhuru Kenyatta noting that the next Chief Justice should not be appointed on the basis of tribe.

In a Tweet on Friday evening, Khalwale divulged that the interviews were attended by individuals and not tribes, therefore, the next CJ should not be appointed based on his/her ethnicity.

He demanded that the President should pick a candidate based on merit, adding that from his analysis, Court of Appeal President Justice William Ouko and Senior Counsel Fred Ngatia are the front runners.


“The 10 day long interviews for our next CJ are finally over. We are boldly asking President Uhuru that individuals not tribes attended the interviews. We demand that he gives us nothing but the best. SC Fred Ngatia and Judge William Ouko were outstanding. Either will suffice,” he tweeted.

Khalwale’s demand is a tough one since the President only approves or rejects a nominee submitted to him by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Meanwhile, JSC on Friday completed interviews for the position of CJ. Ten candidates were interviewed for the post over the past two weeks.

The candidates ranged from judges, senior counsels, and legal scholars. The JSC was expected to retreat and deliberate on a nominee, but the same has been put on hold due to a court ruling barring the commission from undertaking the process until a petition filed against it is heard and determined.