{"id":424472,"date":"2011-05-16T02:02:01","date_gmt":"2011-05-16T02:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/16\/an-opportunity-to-yet-again-celebrate-greatness\/"},"modified":"2011-05-16T02:02:01","modified_gmt":"2011-05-16T02:02:01","slug":"an-opportunity-to-yet-again-celebrate-greatness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/16\/an-opportunity-to-yet-again-celebrate-greatness\/","title":{"rendered":"An Opportunity to Yet Again Celebrate Greatness"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Salim Lone<\/p>\n

14 May 2011<\/p>\n

\n

Nairobi \u2014 Amid the stultifying political wrangles that drive Kenyans to despair over our future, the Judicial Service Commission has given us an opportunity to yet again celebrate Kenya’s oft-forgotten greatness.<\/p>\n

The nominations of Willy Mutunga and Nancy Barasa are an extraordinary milestone in the growing democratic space that Kenyans have been able to expand under the Grand Coalition Government, building on the democratic breakthroughs that began in the NARC era.<\/p>\n

And by empowering the Judicial Service Commission members to undertake a remarkably transparent decision-making process in which merit and integrity were clearly the primary criteria, the new Constitution continues to prove its potential for enabling Kenyans to fulfil our immense potential.<\/p>\n

In setting its own agenda on the process for selection, in the transparency of its proceedings and its commitment to a genuine consensus-driven outcome, JSC members have established historic precedents which other deliberative bodies must be pushed to follow.<\/p>\n

Every JSC member shone, but Commissioner Ahmednasir was the first among equals.<\/p>\n

After having been hailed world-wide for a Constitution which breached unprecedented ground in entrenching people’s rights, and which could not have been passed without the support of both President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, with these appointments Kenya has provided another role model for the world in giving civil society institutions a central role in determining the selection of what is the overwhelmingly powerful position of Chief Justice.<\/p>\n

Even in the United States, the Executive has control of all important nominations, albeit with stringent checks and balances.<\/p>\n

Ironically, while our judiciary overall has enjoyed pitifully low esteem, the quick post-Constitution landmark examples of independence and integrity have emerged from the judicial sector.<\/p>\n

If confirmed, Mr Mutunga and Ms Barasa will have a sufficient body of law reformers to mobilize for a new era of the rule of law, independent of dictates from the Executive.<\/p>\n

Even though we face intense national challenges, we must keep reminding ourselves that these co-exist with the last decade’s extraordinary achievements so that we do not falter in our push for true reform.<\/p>\n

This breakthrough should provide Kenyans hope that progress can be made in resolving our seemingly intractable problems in governance.<\/p>\n

What is required is courageous leadership, and a commitment first and foremost to national cohesion and democratic political competition.<\/p>\n

Salim Lone is a communications consultant<\/em><\/p>\n

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