President Uhuru declares vacancy in PSC chairperson position

President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared a vacancy in the office of the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

This comes three months after the death of Stephen Kirogo who died on May after a short illness.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 10 (2) of the Public Service Commission Act, 2017, I, Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, declare a vacancy in the office of the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission,” read the gazette notice.

The President also declared vacancies in the offices of two members of the National Gender and Equality Commission as well as in the offices of Chairperson and four members of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Earlier, the Head of State suspended Lady Justice Mary Muthoni Gitumbi Judge of the Environment and Land Court from office with immediate effect.

This was after the Judicial Service Commission recommended her removal citing her inability to perform the functions of the office.

In a Gazette notice, the President has formed a tribunal to inquire into the matter.

“The mandate of the tribunal shall be: To consider the Petition on removal of the Hon. Lady Justice Mary Muthoni Gitumbi from office on the reason of her inability to perform the functions of office arising from mental incapacity under Article 168 (1) (a),” reads the Gazette Notice.

The tribunal will be chaired by Judge Hellen Amolo and other members are Justice Luka Kimaru, Justice Linnet Ndolo, Peter Murage, Martha Nyakado, Dr Frank Njenga and Dr Margaret Othieno.

Joint Secretaries of the tribunal are Josiah Musili and Dr. Patrick Amoth while the Lead Counsel will be Emmanuel Omondi Bitta who will be assisted by Peter Muriithi Njeru.

However, the Law Society of Kenya president Nelson Havi stated that they could have been other ways to deal with the matter.

He argued that a negotiated exit will resolve the problem better than a publicized Tribunal hearing which will impact negatively on the Judiciary.

“Are there no better ways of handling the mental issue about Justice Muthoni Gitumbi? This is a problem that existed on her appointment. A negotiated exit will resolve the problem better than a publicized Tribunal hearing which will impact negatively on the Judiciary,” he tweeted.