Uhuru Defends Decision to Reject Six Judges Recommended by JSC

President Kenyatta has broken silence over his decision to reject the nomination of six judges to the superior courts.

Through a gazette notice on Thursday, Kenyatta approved the appointment of 34 out of the 41 judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in July 2019.

He rejected the nominations of Justices Aggrey Muchelule, Weldon Korir, George Odunga, and Joel Ngugi, saying they did not meet the threshold. The four had been recommended to serve in the Appeals Court.

Also not cleared are Makori Evans Kiago and Judith Elizabeth Omange, who had been nominated to the labor and environment court.

Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony for the newly appointed judges at State House on Friday, Kenyatta insisted that his actions are in the interest of the country. He stated that he could not ignore available information putting into question the integrity of the affected judges.

 
“Just like you today, I too took the oath to both the letter and the spirit of the law and it is not open to me to turn a blind eye to reports of our state organs,” Uhuru said.

Kenyatta further vowed not to give in to pressure to act against his oath of office as the president.

“As long as I am president I will choose the right over the convenient, I will choose the hard over the easy, and I am not doing this for myself but the people of Kenya and for posterity,” he added.

Of the 34 new judges, seven belong to the court of appeal, nine to the employment and labor relations court, and eighteen to the environment and land court.

President Kenyatta had delayed the appointment of the judges since July 2019, citing integrity issues on some of the nominees.

Pleas by retired Chief Justice David Maraga to appoint the 41 judges were in vain.

“The Constitution does not donate any mandate to the President to perform any other act upon the names recommended by the JSC except to appoint them,” Maraga said during a press briefing.