The search for the next CJ who will succeed Willy Mutunga has begun today at the High Court with the first candidate, Justice Alnashir Visram, being interviewed. He is one of the six shortlisted applicants and is currently being interviewed. Justice Alnashir Visram said that if he becomes Chief Justice, he would like to be remembered as the CJ who championed for mediation and that he would prioritize the digitization of court processes. When asked about what he thinks about the death penalty by Attorney General Githu Muigai, Visram said that he belongs to the group that views the penalty as not appropriate.
When he was asked by if Kenyans should be worried about him as Chief Justice in the new provision of free speech by Prof. Tom Ojienda during the vetting, Justice Visram was quick to pinpoint his position and view, “Kenya should not be worried. My notion of free speech is not to give liberty to abuse and lie.”
Justice Visram is trying his luck for the second time ,having been nominated by former President Mwai Kibaki to replace Justice Evan Gicheru before being rejected by his grand coalition partner, RailaOdinga
The recruitment process faces a crucial test as the first candidate appears, hours before a High Court ruling that could scuttle the whole process. Justice Odunga is set to rule on a consolidated application seeking to halt recruitment of the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice, and a Supreme Court Judge.
High Court judge Mbogholi Msagha appears for the interview on Tuesday while Court of Appeal judge David Maraga has his day on Wednesday. Mr. Philip Kitonga will be interviewed on Thursday while the only female candidate will appear before JSC on Friday, Court of Appeal judge Roselyn Nambuye.
Former JSC member and Supreme Court Judge Smokin Wanjala will be the last to face the interview panel on September 3. The process of recruiting top judge has been marred by allegations of lack of transparency but the JSC maintains that it has sole discretion over the recruitment process and the case challenging it is an attempt to influence the system.