Chief Justice Martha Koome has assured that the recruitment of all judges will be done by an independent bodies in a fair and transparent manner that will also involve public participation.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Presiding Judge for Environmental and Land Courts Justice Oscar Angote during a Multi-Agency Good Governance Summit held at the Nairobi’s All Saints Cathedral,The CJ said the Judiciary had put up measures in place to make the recruitment process fair and transparent.
The Summit organized by Public Service Governance (PSG) attracted key stakeholders in the justice system including officials from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Director of Criminal Investigations, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission , Police Service among others .
The summit themed ‘Roadmap to Good Governance-Come Let us reason Together’ aims to bring the agencies together to discuss the reforms they are undertaking towards realization of Good Governance multi-agency summit to discuss the road map to good governance to foster accountability, responsibility and transparency.
She said the Judiciary has taken members of the PSG summit through the reforms that the judiciary has put in place to meet the requirements of Article 10 which requires all state organs to abide by the principal of good governance and value.
Koome announced that the Judiciary performance is conducted annually to monitor the performance of judicial officers in their duties, adding that the Judiciary’s blueprint ensures that the citizenry easily access to justice.
“The Judiciary resolution is to have a country that is able to run by the rule of law. We will be able to roll the PSG engagement to the county level,” she stated.
Speaking at the event, PSG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Esther Waringa said that PSG has embarked on a collective journey towards a future that is characterized by sustainability, progressiveness and realization of the governance solution for the nation under the banner of ‘Come let us reason together’.
She noted that good governance revolves as a pivot that sustains development, economic stability and a country’s moral standards where education to all, affordable energy for home and business, affordable health care and food surplus, peace and security can only be achieved when the principles of good governances becomes a guiding light in all governance interventions.
Waringa said that United Nations considers good governance to be participatory, consensus oriented, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, as it stresses the rule of law which should be practiced to make public service excellent.
“Public service is about serving and ensuring that public service governance gives the people a conducive environment to live in their great country of Kenya,” She stated.
She said the summit brings the fore gaps that exist in governance structure across multi-sectoral agencies with a view to charting a path to better governance and envision a governance framework that not only serves the interests of the governance but also lays a substantial foundation for generations to come.
“PSG is guided by the principles of integrity, inclusivity, responsibility, accountability and the rule of law in navigating the intricate terrain of good governance,” added the CEO.
Waringa urged the stakeholders to strive in building bridges of understanding and cooperation, and to transcend the boundaries that divide and unite PSG under the common purpose of serving the greater good.
The CEO added that transparency requires leaders to carry out their functions in an open manner in public, an issue she said gives an opportunity to scrutinize leadership decisions and enhance transparency as a check to good governance.
She encourage leaders to be accountable for the decisions they make during governance and also need to communicate within the law in order to safeguards against mal-administration and breach of fundamental rights of the citizens.
Waringa announced that PSG will reward champions of good governance from various sectors in public and private sectors who will demonstrate absolute upholding of the principles of good governance in entirety.
“PSG is ready to go an extra mile to introduce good governance awards at the end of every year to appreciate heroes of good governance, ’she disclosed.
The CEO said state officers serving in the Public Service are appointed based on merit and capacity to deliver and are not dependent of the political dynamic of the nation in their development, noting while offering services they must be guided by their ministries policies on public service delivery.
The Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit said that in religion teaching and preaching good governance is a management of resources and people of which it ensures that the outcome of governance is harmony, progress and development.
“If PSG tampers with good governance, the loss will be enormous,” he said.
Ole Sapit noted that Kenyans will only prosper when those governing the citizenry and managing resources ensure that there is equity and fairness across every sector.
By Sharon Atieno and Abudance Mutave