Former Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General John Njiraini is among 11 shortlisted candidates for the chair position of the National Land Commission (NLC).
The 11, who were shortlisted from 117 applicants, will be battling out to replace former NLC boss Muhammad Swazuri who exited in February 2019 after serving his tenure.
In an advert in the local dailies on Tuesday, the NLC Selection Panel also listed 50 candidates to fill in the positions of eight commissioners.
They include former Labour and Social Services Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi, former Principal Secretary Dr. Khadijah Kassachon, NTSA Director General Francis Meja and former NCPB boss Tirop Kosgey.
Others are former MPs Dr Humphrey Njuguna (Gatanga), Esther Murugi (Nyeri Town), Tiya Galgalo (Isiolo Women Rep), Boniface Otsiula (Bumula) and Francis Waweru Nderitu (Ndaragwa) among others.
The commission said they were shortlisted from 940 applicants who showed interest to fill in the positions of the commissioners.
Swazuri was last year charged alongside former Kenya Railways managing director Atanas Maina with several counts of corruption-related offences.
In last year’s charge sheet, the prosecution claimed Swazuri and the 10 other officials from the Ministry of Lands and railways firm, conspired to commit crimes which led to the loss of Sh222,375,000 of public funds, in payments for three pieces of land belonging to the corporation. They are currently out on a Sh6 million bail each.
During his tenure as the NLC chairman, Swazuri, a holder of a PhD in Land Economics, reeled from one accusation to another, ranging from controlling land cartels to abuse of office.
It was during his tenure that 276 complaints were filed against the NLC at the EACC, with 71 specifically about compensation.
