By Anthony Kariuki, Citizen Correspondent, Nairobi
The Kenya Anti Corruption Commission Advisory Board has nominated renowned lawyer PLO Lumumba to replace Aaron Ringera as Kenya's anti-graft boss.
It has also picked another lawyer Pravin Bowry as assistant director, legal services and Jane Onsongo as preventive services assistant director.
"The Board is convinced that Dr Lumumba can ably lead Kacc in its mandate and has the dynamism and interpersonal skills to rally the country behind him and build a wide consensus and partnership necessary to win the war against corruption," said Board chairman Okongo Omongeni.
He was addressing a news conference at Integrity Centre, Nairobi Thursday to apprise the public on progress made to fill the anti-corruption watchdog top positions.
Mr Omogeni said that a total of 197 applicants responded to adverts placed in the media to fill the vacancies.
He added that the board shortlisted 8 candidates for each of the three positions before conducting a final interview, where they came up with three names.
"Throughout the recruitment process, the Board was guided by law and its committment to be impartial and independent.
"We were alive to the palpable fact that Kenyans expect the process to be fair and free from influence from any quarters," he said.
Mr Omogeni said the Board, in making its choice, was driven by the need to "recruit Kenyans of high integrity and competency who have the experience, courage and determination to fight the war against corruption and restore confidence of the nation on our quest to fight corruption."
The three names will be forwarded to Parliament for debate and approval before they are referred to President Kibaki for appointment.
"It is our conviction that Parliament will endorse the three," said Mr Omogeni.
Dr Lumumba is a former Constitution of Kenya Review Commission secretary and was instrumental in drafting the Bomas Draft that was defeated in a referendum to enact a new constitution in 2005.
He also contested, and lost, the Kamukunji parliamentary seat during the 2007 General election. He had vied on the ticket of a little known party, Chama Cha Umma (CCU).
Dr Lumumba hold a doctorate degree in law from the University of Gent, Belgium and has taught law at the University of Nairobi for 17 years. He has practiced for 23 years as an advocate of the High Court.
Mr Bowry is an expert in both criminal and civil law and is an advocate of the High Court and the International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda that seats in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Board considered his "unrivalled experience in court procedures and rules of evidence, both of which are critical in getting convictions in the many corruption cases in our courts."
In settling for the prominent lawyer, the Board was equally persuaded "by the urgent need of having a senior and experienced lawyer to lead our civil litigation team of lawyers in pursuing through civil suits the recovery of corruptly acquired assets.."
Prof Jane Onsongo is an associate professor of education and deputy director of research at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
She holds a phD in higher and further education from University College London and "will bring a vast experience in education and research which is critical in designing policies and actions to change public perception about the vice of corruption," said the Board.
Mr Ringera resigned as the Kacc director after weeks of public pressure for him to step down. Parliament had declared his re-appointment, for a further five-year term by President Kibaki, as illegal.
Two other assistant directors, also reappointed resigned after the House nullified their appointments. They were Dr Smokin Wanjala and Fatuma Sichale.
Parliament said, at the time, that the unilateral decision by President Kibaki to bypass two House committees- Delegated Legislation and Legal Affairs and Administration of Justice to make the reappointments went against the law.
A motion to nullify a gazette notice containing the appointments was overwhelmingly passed in Parliament.
