Former IEBC Chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan and vice-chair Lillian Mahiri-Zaja are among the candidates shortlisted by the Judicial Service Commission to become judges.
A notice issued by JSC revealed that Hassan is among 31 candidates shortlisted for the Court of Appeal job while Mahiri-Zaja will face the interview panel for the High Court judge position.
The two commissioners were at the helm of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission between 2011 and 2016.
Other notable names shortlisted by JSC
Other notable names shortlisted for interviews include former National Gender Equality Commission chair Winfred Lichuma and Dorcas Oduor who is the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and head of economic, international and emerging crimes at the office of the DPP.
Lichuma has been shortlisted for the position of High Court judge while Oduor applied for both High Court and Court of Appeal positions. She has been shortlisted for both.
Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Nduma Nderi who was last year interviewed for the Supreme Court job has also been shortlisted.
The list of the 31 candidates shortlisted for the appellate court jobs is dominated by judges currently serving in the High Court. They include lady Justices Hedwing Ongúdi, Lydia Achode, Florence Muchemi, Cecilia Githua, Christine Meoli, Grace Wangui, Francis Gikonyo, Nelson Abuodha, Abida Ali Aroni, Bernard Mweresa, Luka Kimaru, Alfred Mabeya, Onesmus Makau, John Mativo, William Musyoka, Stephen Radido, Eric Ogola, Joseph Sergon, Fredrick Ochieng, and Odhiambo Okongo.
Others in the list are Chiuri Ngugi, Paul Mwaniki, Ndegwa Wamuti, Desderio Nyamu, Onyango Jane, Sifuna Wanyama and Beauttah Alukhava.
JSC advertised positions
JSC advertised the positions on March 14, attracting 334 applications.
Interviews for the Court of Appeal position will kick off on Thursday, June 23 and conclude on July 6, 2022, while those for High Court Judges will begin on July 18, 2022
“The interviews will be conducted at the Judicial Service commission office boardroom at Reinsurance Plaza, podium floor in Nairobi,” JSC secretary Anne Amadi stated in the notice.
JSC asked the public to submit any details about the candidates that may be of interest to the commission.
“Members of the public are invited to avail in writing any information of interest in respect to any of the shortlisted candidates. The commission may interview any member of the public who has submitted any information of interest in respect of any shortlisted candidate and such information will be kept confidential,” the notice reads.
Some 104 candidates have been shortlisted for the High Court judge positions from a loss of 266 applicants with the names of serving magistrates dominating.
Among the notable names is that of Kibera senior principal magistrate Derrick Kuto who is also the president of the Kenya Judges and Magistrates Association.
Others include magistrates Francis Andayi, Douglas Ogoti, Heston Nyaga, Kenneth Cheruiyot, Patricia Gichohi, Elizabeth Juma, Wendy Kagendo, Susan Shitubi and former JSC member Emily Ominde.
The shortlist of the applicants for the appellate court comes a year after the Court of Appeal president William Ouko replaced Jackton Boma Ojwang, as Supreme Court Judge.
