President William Ruto has appointed the six judges who were nominated by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) but were rejected by immediate former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
Dr Ruto started his official duties at State House, Nairobi by putting pen to paper on two gazette notices appointing four Appellate Court judges and two Environment and Land Court judges.
He confirmed the appointment of Weldon Korir Kipyegon, Aggrey Muchelule Otsyula, George Odunga Vincent and Prof Joel Mwaura Ngugi as judges to the Court of Appeal.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 166(1) of the Constitution of Kenya, I, William Samoei Ruto, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, appoint –Korir Weldon Kipyegon, Muchelule Aggrey Otsyula, Odunga George Vincent, Joel Mwaura Ngugi,” read part of the gazette notice appointing the Court of Appeal judges.
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Dr Ruto also appointed Chief Magistrate Evans Makori and High Court Registrar Elizabeth Omange as judges of the Environment and Land Court ending the three-year impasse between the Judiciary and Executive.
Uhuru had declined to appoint the six as judges “for failing to meet the required threshold” and stood his ground even after a number of cases were filed in court challenging his decision.
“To further demonstrate my commitment to the Judiciary, this afternoon I will appoint the six judges already nominated to the court of appeal, which was done three years ago by the Judicial Service Commission, and tomorrow I shall preside their swearing-in so that they can get on with their business of serving the people of Kenya,” Ruto said at Kasarani on Tuesday.
He also pledged to gradually raise funding to the Judiciary to at least Sh90 billion within five years to end the long row with the Executive to have 25 per cent of the National Budget.
