Musalia Mudavadi, the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS, says that Former IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has the right to be the chief justice if he qualifies.
Speaking during a church service in Kakamega attended by Ruto, Mudavadi stated that everyone qualified has the right to compete for any position in Kenya.
"The Judicial Service Commission is independent, and it has the authority to recruit anyone who qualifies to be a judge in our republic. So it's inappropriate for the Azimio leadership to begin deciding who the JSC should choose," Mudavadi added.
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He suggested that if Chebukati passes the requirements, he might become Kenya's Chief Justice.
"Kama ni Chebukati ama nani, if he puts his bid for the position of a judge, that is the responsibility of the JSC, not the responsibility of politicians to try and direct JSC," he said.
His comments come a day after Azimio Leader Raila Odinga said that Chebukati would be appointed as a Court of Appeal judge before being nominated as Chief Justice in the 2027 elections.
Raila claimed to have learned of this intention following a recent State House meeting between the executive branch led by President Ruto and the judiciary led by Chief Justice Martha Koome.
According to Raila, the meeting was simply part of Ruto's larger aim to establish a favorable judiciary.
He said that Chebukati and his predecessor, Ahmed Issack Hassan, would be appointed as Court of Appeal Judges before being promoted to Chief Justice.
"In that (State House meeting) agreement, the five High Court Judges and two Court of Appeal Judges will be for Ruto to forward to the JSC," Raila asserted.
