Advocate Jennifer Shamalla of the High Court of Kenya has come out to criticise claims being perpetrated that the Chief Justice shortlisting was rigged.
This comes after 8 applicants were not shortlisted in the final list for interview.
Speaking to NTV at the Nation Centre, she said there was a due process that eliminated the 8 candidates. Among the 8 excluded applicants include Justice Aaron Ringera and Makau Mutua who were poised as the candidates with the highest chances of replacing Willy Mutunga.
"Making claims before understanding the criteria for short listing the candidates is chaotic and clumsy. The act is very clear and it says that there is a panel to shortlist the candidates," said Shamalla.
The advocate also said the panel is led by a qualified professional, Margaret Kobia who has a PHD in management. She refuted the claims by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and other warring bodies that doubt the shortlisting process.
Shamalla also said the academic qualifications and other required qualifications were also a determining factor of the shortlisting process.
She has called on the disqualified members and others who are criticising the process to stop perpetrating false allegations towards the panel that shortlisted the 6 candidates. She also added that the whole shortlisting process was a discriminatory process that only favoured the best.