This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
On July 8, 2019, former Chief Justice Bernard Chunga declined an appointment by the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji to chair the Task Force on Operationalization of Inspection in his office.
The appointment had been made just hours after a lobby group, Chama Cha Mawakili, filed a suit in court seeking to have the appointment quashed, citing that it was unconstitutional and not based on principles of accountability, merit, and competition.
Chama Cha Mawakili argued that there was no advertisement or communication made to members of the public on the existence of the position, and that no interviews were carried out.
The lobby group, made up of lawyers, prayed to the court to suspend Chunga's appointment pending hearing and determination of their case.
They claimed that Chunga's choice had rekindled the bad memory of many of his victims from his actions when he served as Deputy Public Prosecutor and Chief Justice.
The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report had recommended that he should never hold public office over injustices that occurred during his reign.
Chunga cited personal reasons for declining the appointment, stating, 'Many thanks for appointing me as the Chairman of the Task Force. However, due to pressing commitments I have undertaken elsewhere, I regret to advise that I will not be able to undertake the appointment.'
