The Judicial Service Commission has announced start of recruitment preparations for the next next Chief Justice.
This follows retirement of CJ David Maraga on January 12.
In a statement on Friday, the commission said the process shall commence by the publication of the Notice Declaring a Vacancy in the Office of the Chief Justice on January 18.
“Following publication of the Notice, the search for a candidate, and the recruitment process and its attendant timelines, will be governed and conducted in accordance with all the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the law,” JSC said.
The position is currently being held by CJ Philomena Mwilu in acting capacity.
It is uncertain whether Mwilu will be a leading candidate to succeed Maraga considering she is battling a petition before the Commission.
Meanwhile, there are questions as to whether Kenya needs an insider and conservative CJ like Maraga, who shocked the world by nullifying the 2017 presidential election, or a liberal judiciary head.
CJs and other judges, though described as conservative or liberal, often surprise with their rulings once they sit on the bench.
In his retirement speech, Maraga challenged judges to stand firm and not let the political class plunge the country into chaos.
“You live in this country, and you have seen the drums of political war beaten already. If you waver and do the wrong thing and this country descends into chaos, God will never forgive you,” he said.
Maraga reminded them that they have been given the power to be guardians of the Constitution, and they should not let Kenyans down by bending to political whims.
“I have heard sometimes politicians say they are better off because they are elected. I want to tell you that according to constitutional architecture they have no better power than what you have. I want to urge that you don’t let the people of Kenya down.”