Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga wants his replacement to be progressive and to fight forces seeking to return the judiciary to “old sinful glory”.
Mutunga presented his wish list to the next CJ to the Judicial Service Commission at a private retreat in May.
The former CJ said there are forces at play in the succession battle – some within and others outside the judiciary. He also urged the JSC to ensure selected candidates pass the integrity, morality, independence (political backbone), juridical compliance, transformational and public confidence tests.
He also added that the vetting, under the Vetting Board Act, has been perceived as less foolproof in determining the suitability of some judicial officers.
Mutunga retired on June 16, a year before he was to step down, to pave way for the recruitment of his successor.