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Article 171 · Part 4—Judicial Service Commission

Establishment of the Judicial Service Commission

In plain English

The Judicial Service Commission is chaired by the Chief Justice and includes judges, a magistrate, the Attorney-General, two advocates, a Public Service Commission nominee and two non-lawyer public representatives (one woman, one man). Most members serve five years, renewable once.

The official text

(1) There is established the Judicial Service Commission.

(2) The Commission shall consist of—

(a) the Chief Justice, who shall be the chairperson of the Commission;

(b) one Supreme Court judge elected by the judges of the Supreme Court;

(c) one Court of Appeal judge elected by the judges of the Court of Appeal;

(d) one High Court judge and one magistrate, one a woman and one a man, elected by the members of the association of judges and magistrates;

(e) the Attorney-General;

(f) two advocates, one a woman and one a man, each of whom has at least fifteen years’ experience, elected by the members of the statutory body responsible for the professional regulation of advocates;

(g) one person nominated by the Public Service Commission; and

(h) one woman and one man to represent the public, not being lawyers, appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly.

(3) The Chief Registrar of the Judiciary shall be the Secretary to the Commission.

(4) Members of the Commission, apart from the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General, shall hold office, provided that they remain qualified, for a term of five years and shall be eligible to be nominated for one further term of five years.

Summaries and answers are a plain-English guide written by Iam254, not legal advice. The official text is what counts. Official text: Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Kenya Law (National Council for Law Reporting), legislation as at 3 September 2010. It has not been amended since.