Judges association elects David Majanja as JSC rep

The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association has elected High Court judge David Shikomera Majanja as its male representative to the Judicial Service Commission.

A communique by KMJA Executive Director Daniel Sepu noted that justice Majanja was the only one who applied for the position.

Mr Sepu explained that he sent nomination forms to all of the association's members by email on January 23.

Qualified members interested in vying for election to represent the KMJA were required to fill and submit the forms in accordance with the rules by close of business on February 19.

“Only one member, Hon Mr Justice Majanja, David Amilcar Shikomera offered himself as a candidate. He was validly nominated,” said Mr Sepu.

Rule 6.7 states that “If at the close of the deadline only one candidate is validly nominated, the candidate shall be deemed to have been elected to that position.”

Mr Sepu’s responsibilities under Rule 6 of the Elections Rules of the KMJA states in part that, “The executive director shall, within seven days of the nomination deadline, compile and send by email to all members, the list in alphabetical order beginning with the surname, of all the validly nominated candidates."

He said, “Therefore, in line with Rule 6.7 of the Election Rules of the [KMJA], Mr Shikomera is duly elected as the male representative to the [JSC]."

Mr Majanja, currently the presiding judge in Kisii, will be among the 12 members of the JSC.

His smooth nomination is in contrast to the process at the Law Society of Kenya, which upheld its earlier decision to allow Senior Counsel Tom Ojienda to seek re-election as its male representative to the JSC.

Following the decision, Prof Ojienda will face off with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority's former chair Macharia Njeru, Mr Alex Gatundu, Mr Gathii Irungu and Mr Charles Mongare.

The row concerned cases Prof Ojienda is facing, that involve parties including the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). The KRA had refused to issue Mr Ojienda with tax clearance, claiming he owed Sh443.6 million tax arrears.

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