President Kenyatta picks Noordin Haji as next DPP

What you need to know:

  • The finalists included, Senior Counsel Lucy Kambuni, deputy chief public prosecutor Jacob Ondari and Mr Haji.
  • The team conducted the interviews on Thursday and Friday before forwarding the three nominees to State House.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has nominated National Intelligence Service Deputy Director Noordin Mohamed Haji as the next director of public prosecutions (DPP).

The selection panel submitted three names to the president last Friday.

The finalists included, Senior Counsel Lucy Kambuni, deputy chief public prosecutor Jacob Ondari and Mr Haji.

CANDIDATES

At least 10 candidates were interviewed by the panel chaired by University of Nairobi’s law don Elizabeth Muli.

The team conducted the interviews on Thursday and Friday before forwarding the three nominees to State House.

Other candidates interviewed included five from the DDP’s office, two from the Judiciary, Mr Noordin and Ms Kambuni.

The DPP office had Mr Ondari, fellow Deputy DPP Dorcas Oduor, Mr Nicholas Mutuku, Senior Assistant DPP Patrick Gumo and James Mungai Warui.

Supreme Court Deputy Registrar Daniel ole Keiwua and Machakos Senior Principal Magistrate Abdulkadir Ramadhan were from the judiciary.

The selection panel said it considered regional balance, ethnic diversity and gender balance in shortlisting the candidates.

The president has until end of next week to forward one name to the National Assembly for vetting and approval, paving way for him to unveil Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko’s successor.

Should the National Assembly reject the DPP nominee, the selection panel will start a fresh recruitment.

It will start with the advertisement, shortlisting and interviews.

The seven-member panel consists of Kennedy Kihara (Office of the President), Maryann Njau (Attorney-General’s office) and Ms Lilian Omollo (Public Service ministry).

Others are Ms Kagwiria Mbogori (Kenya National Commission on Human Rights), Dr Muli (Law Society of Kenya), Mr Francis Atwoli (Central Organisation of Trade Unions) and Halakhe Waqo (Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission).