This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has tapped his former ICC defense lawyer, Gerishom Otachi, to succeed Dr. Muhammad Swazuri as the chair of the National Land Commission.
Dr. Swazuri's six-year term, marred by allegations of fraud and controversy, came to an end in February this year.
Mr. Otachi, who is currently the managing partner of Ogetto, Otachi and Company Advocates, has served as the defense lawyer for six Kenyans, including President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto, at the ICC for crimes against humanity.
He will succeed Dr. Swazuri, who was ousted from office by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission amid claims of massive fraud.
According to the EACC, NLC officers have inflated land compensation rates for nearly every public infrastructure development made in the past six years.
Mr. Otachi's nomination was officially communicated by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi yesterday, alongside four women and four other men that the President has nominated as NLC commissioners.
The names were picked from a list of two (for chairperson) and 16 (commissioners) that the selection panel, chaired by Priscilla Nyokabi, forwarded to President Kenyatta.
Former Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) commissioner-general John Njiraini dropped his quest for the chair, just one week after he was shortlisted and interviewed for the job.
Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi has expressed his concerns over the nomination process, tweeting that it is high time to stop the sham selection process and bestow all the powers on the President to nominate whoever he wants.
The new National Land Commission…MADE in the IMAGE of the OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT…high time we stop this NONSENSE and sham selection process remote controlled by the executive…and instead bestow all the powers on the President to nominate whoever he wants… — Ahmednasir Abdullahi SC (@ahmednasirlaw) August 19, 2019
