A city lawyer is seeking to stop the recruitment of judges until a male representative of the Law Society of Kenya to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC ) is elected.
Adrian Kamotho Njenga wants the process of shortlisting and interviewing judges of the Appellate Court, Labour Relations Court and Environment and Land Court suspended.
Elections of the male representative to the LSK is scheduled for May 9.
Kamotho argues that without LSK’s male representative, it will be impossible for JSC to fulfil its mandatory requirements under Regulations 14(3) and (5).
“In the circumstances, the most efficacious thing would be to stay the appointment process until the legal soundness is ascertained ,” he states.
The lawyer contends that judges of the superior courts being custodians of the law, it is necessary that their recruitment be conducted in strict adherence to the law.
“It is imperative that the laid down legal requirements on appointment of judges of superior courts are not undermined,” he adds.
Applications for the positions will close by end of business Monday following the February 15 gazette notice by Chief Justice David Maraga declaring vacancies in the said divisions.
So far, lawyer Tom Ojienda who is being indicted over Sh400 million as tax arrears is among five candidates who have been shortlisted for interview as a spokesperson for the lawyers’ umbrella body.