This archive report was first published on 3 January 2020.
On December 27th, 2019, Noordin Haji, the Director of Public Prosecutions, issued a gazette notice annulling the appointments of over 300 prosecutors posted to 14 state agencies.
Among those affected were 90 prosecutors initially posted to labour institutions, as well as 38 prosecutors each at the environmental management and citizenship and immigration agencies.
Additionally, 35 prosecutors attached to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) were recalled, along with 23 prosecutors from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), 20 from the Kenya Bureau of Standards, and 18 from the Sexual Offences office.
Other agencies affected included the Higher Education Loans Board, Tourism, Public Health, and Energy.
According to the DPP, the recalled prosecutors lacked proper legal training and many were unsure of their qualifications.
“Various reasons from not having data on the individuals and their qualifications, to lack of uniformity in terms of quality prosecution services and oversight,” a statement by the DPP read.
The DPP also pointed out that many of the prosecutors were not lawyers and struggled to keep up with developments in law, prosecution policies, and guidelines.
However, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has invited those who have been recalled to reapply for the positions, subject to new requirements including qualifications and mandatory training.
