Editor's Review

The appointments come days after Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga moved to court to block President Ruto’s Shakahola tragedy commission on inquiry.

President William Ruto has made two new appointments to reinforce the Shakahola Tragedy Inquiry Commission.

In a gazette notice issued on Friday, May 12, President Ruto appointed Abdullatif Essajee Khaderbhai and Hassan Ahmednur Baricha as new commissioners to help in the Shakahola probe.

“It is notified for the general information of the public that His Excellency Hon. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces has appointed— Abdullatif Essajee Khaderbhai, Hassan Ahmednur Baricha, as Commissioners of the Commission of Inquiry into the Shakahola Tragedy established vide Gazette Notice No. 5660 of 2023,” the gazette notice read.

The Head of State also appointed Mohammad Dori, Abdisalam Sheikh Mohamed, Sujurtha Kotamraju, and Bishop Amos Lewa as new members of the presidential task force on the review of the legal and regulatory framework governing religious organizations.

File image of President William Ruto.

The appointments come days after Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga moved to court to block President Ruto’s Shakahola tragedy commission on inquiry.

Through his Lawyer Paul Mwangi, the ODM leader accused the president of usurping the powers of Parliament in naming the commission.

“We reiterate that only the Judicial Service Commission is empowered by the constitution to recruit qualified persons to serve in tribunals.

"The president has no powers to make any determination of the constitution of a court or an independent tribunal nor who sits in judgment in court or independent tribunal,” the court papers read.