Jackson Kuria Kihara famously known as Cop Shakur on Friday, January 24, 2025, opined that the president should not be given the powers to appoint Chief Justice and the Director of Public Prosecution.
Speaking on K24’s New Dawn show, Cop Shakur claimed that the holders of the two offices could make decisions to appease the appointing authority hence violating the rights of other Kenyans.
The controversial law enforcement officers maintained that the appointing powers should be scrapped from the office of the president to allow the holders of the offices to operate autonomously.
He thus called for the constitutional amendment to fix the clauses granting the Head of State those powers.
“There are some elements of the constitution I think we should amend. We should not give the presidents powers to appoint Chief Justice, Interior Minister and the DPP,” Cop Shakur told K24 TV host Joel Chacha during the morning show.
“Right now the Interior Minister can forward a case to DPP and it will handled with urgency,” the prison warder claimed.
Jackson Kihara (Shakur the cop): I have realised that I can be of more benefit to the country outside of being a prison warden. I can speak about our constitution and people listen. #NewDawn pic.twitter.com/0WdNbIXxmq
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) January 24, 2025
Appointment process
Chapter 10 of the 2010 promulgated constitution stipulates that the ‘President shall appoint the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice, in accordance with the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, and subject to the approval of the National Assembly; and all other judges, in accordance with the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission.’
On DPP’s appointment, the Head of State nominates a candidate who is then vetted by the Members of Parliament before sending back the name with recommendations.
If lawmakers approve the candidate, the Head of State goes ahead and appoints the person. On the other hand, the Interior Minister is appointed just like other Cabinet Secretaries, where the names are unveiled and forwarded to Parliament for vetting before receiving a final nod from the president.
Shakur’s trouble with the law
Cop Shakur has been making headlines in recent times. On January 21, 2025, he was arraigned for publishing false information in direct violation of Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act No. 5 of 2018.
The suspect was accused of knowingly and unlawfully disseminating false information on his X account, under the username Shakur the Cop, on January 11, 2025.
He appeared before Milimani Court No. 5, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was granted a bond of Ksh100,000 with the alternative of Ksh50,000 cash bail.
The case is scheduled for mention on February 17, 2025.
