Judge Murima elected High Court representative to JSC

By Peter Ochieng

Kitale High Court judge Antony Murima Charo has been overwhelmingly elected High Court representative and co-equal male representative to the Judicial Service Commmission (JSC).

He got 95 votes, beating James Otieno Olola and Sila Munyao who managed 15 and 27 votes respectively, in an election conducted at a Kisumu hotel on Friday.

The smooth electoral process was overseen by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) presiding officer, Justus Mbithi and his deputy, Helen Namwaka.

Judge Murima will succeed the late David Majanja, who was elected in May before his death in July, 2024.

Justice Majanja passed on at a Nairobi hospital on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, with reports indicating that he had checked in at the hospital for a surgery.

He was first appointed as Judge of the High Court in 2011 and was until his death stationed at the Milimani Civil Division court.

Addressing the press after his victory, Murima pledged to defend the independence of the judiciary.

"As a new entrant, I need time to see what is already in the commission before making a decision on what to prioritise."

"I will defend the independence of the judiciary. That is my pledge not only to the magistrates and the judges but to the entire country," he said.

The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) president Stephen Radido said the electoral process started three weeks ago, terming the exercise as seamless throughout.

"Campaigns were peaceful and friendly. Our expectation is that Murima will work together with other commissioners to defend independence of the judiciary," he stated.

Mbithi said the election was very peaceful, adding that other electoral processes in the country take a similar trajectory.