Search for Haji successor nears close as interviews end

The curtain has drawn on the search for the new director of Public prosecution as the interviews of shortlisted applicants closed on Wednesday and the focus shifted to the wait for the final set of three names.

15 candidates have been interviewed, seven on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday.

For the opening day on Tuesday, the seven-member interviewing panel domiciled at the Public Service Commission house heard pitches from former IEBC commissioner Thomas Letangule, acting DPP Jacinta Nyamosi, Victor Mule, former Mombasa politician Taib Ali Taib, Tabitha Ouya, and David Kiplagat Ruto. Danstan Omari cupped the day.

On the final day on Wednesday, Judge Francis Andayi, Winston Aswani Ngaira, Peter Mungáthia, former chief of staff for ex-DPP Noordin Haji Lilian Obuo, Jacob Nyakundi, Wahome Ndegwa, Renson Ingonga and David Okachi were heard concluding the process.

One of the 15 will take the seat of Haji who left the job to be the new NIS chief.

Letangule and Jacob Nyakundi are trying their luck the second time. They had interviewed for the job in 2015 when then DPP Keriako Tobiko resigned.

Letangule did not make it but Nyakundi was among the three names sent to then-president Uhuru Kenyatta to choose from alongside Haji and senior counsel Lucy Kambuni. 

The interviewing panel has Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak, Public Service PS Mary Kimonye, Solicitor General Shadrack Mose, Richard Onsongo, Bush Obwocha, and chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Roseline Odede.

After its deliberations, the panel will forward three names to President William Ruto to select one for appointment after parliamentary approval.

The race is pitting the titans of the legal profession who’ve practiced for decades like Taib who got called to the bar in 1988 against fresher ones like Omari who joined in 2011.

Also, the team will also have to weigh the prosecutorial experience of those auditioning before it as heavyweights from the ODPP also got interviewed.

Jacinta Nyamosi from the ODPP is among the senior candidates.  She joined the prosecutorial service in 2000 and has stridden those halls for now 23 years.

She also has 27 years of law practice having been called to the bar in 1996.

She told the panel that she is the substantive head of the department dealing with cases relating to offences against persons.

In this department, she is in charge of a comprehensive review of criminal, substantive, procedural and evidentiary laws to manage emerging trends of criminal activities to promote quality prosecution services.

She shot to the public psyche when she handled the DJ Evolve shooting matter in which she insisted on sustaining the criminal prosecution of Embakasi East MP Babu Owino for the shooting incident even if the victim wanted to withdraw the charges.

The incident was a crime against the state, she would argue, as she pushed for the case in court.