JSC Rejects Wafula Chebukati's Application For Court Of Appeal Judge Position

• Ex-IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati was among those who were not shortlisted to the position of Court of Appeal judge
• Chebukati had applied to the position following the announcement of 11 vacant positions on February 2
• Raila Odinga had claimed president William Ruto was planning to take over the Judiciary by appointing Wafula Chebukati into the Court of Appeal

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has shortlisted 41 applicants out of the 82 that had initially applied to the position of the Court of Appeal judge.

Among those rejected to the position was the former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chair Wafula Chebukati

Chebukati had applied for the position following the JSC advertisement of the vacancies within the Court of Appeal on February 2.

In a publication dated April 23, JSC announced that out of the 82 applications made to the position only 41 got accepted into the next level.

Other prominent individuals who were not shortlisted included; former IEBC vice chair Lilian Mahiri Zaja, justice Nixon Sifuna and Centre of Multiparty Democracy (CMD) chair Priscilla Nyokabi.

Those who were shortlisted include ex-IEBC chair Isaack Hassan.

The shortlisted candidates are scheduled for an interview scheduled from June 3 to June 20.

Raila opposes Wafula Chebukati's appointment

Previously, on February 2, Opposition leader Raila Odinga alleged that President William Ruto was planning to reward Chebukati by appointing him into the Judiciary.

The ODM boss further claimed Ruto had intentions to take over the Judiciary by appointing Chebukati as an appellate judge.

Raila alleged that a plot was hatched in the meeting that would see Ruto appoint the former IEBC chairman alongside his predecessor to the Court of Appeal.

Raila dismissed the official statement given by the government on the contents of the much-publicised meeting.

He added that the plan would climax with the elevation of Chebukati to head the Judiciary before the 2027 General Election.

The ODM leader said as per the plot, Chief Justice Martha Koome would benefit with the Judiciary getting additional funding.

Raila confirmed that Koome had already advertised for the 11 positions in a gazette notice on Friday, February 2.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.