Wako now sets eyes on politics

Attorney General Amos Wako during a meeting by the Oversight constitutional implementation committee at Windsor Golf Club in Nairobi on October 17, 2010. By the time he retires, he will have clocked two decades at the helm of the State Law Office. Photo/FILE

Attorney General Amos Wako on Wednesday hinted that he could plunge into politics once he retires later this year.

Mr Wako said that even though he would continue undertaking his duties as an international commercial arbitrator, he was also “listening to the people” and would respect their wish.

“I think I am now energetic for my next mission in life...I have done 20 years as an Attorney General. Before that I did another 20 years as partner in one of the leading (law) firms in the country. Now I want to spend the next 20 years doing something else,” he said.

He added: “The something else is partly professional...I am an international commercial arbitrator. But the other one...I am still listening to the people...the people are really talking on the ground. It will depend on what the people will tell me to do.”

The new Constitution requires Mr Wako to vacate office 12 months from August 27, last year — the date of promulgation of the new law.

Article 262 (31)(7) of the Constitution says: “The Attorney-General and the Auditor-General shall continue in office for a period of no more than 12 months after the effective date and the subsequent appointments to those offices shall be made under this Constitution.”

This means that he is expected to be out of office by the end of August. Mr Wako was appointed the chief government legal adviser on May 13, 1991.

By the time he retires, he will have clocked two decades at the helm of the State Law Office.

Although he did not say whether he would leave office before the end of August, what was clear was that he wants to focus on implementing the new Constitution first.

“I want to focus on nothing else but legislation required to implement the new Constitution,” he said.

And to this effect, the AG is rooting for the immediate appointment of Director of Public Prosecutions.