Lawyers change LSK election rule after Tom Ojienda ordeal
Law Society of Kenya members at their annual general meeting at the Bomas of Kenya on March 30, 2019. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- 287 LSK members voted for the motion and 190 against.
- Motion comes after KRA refused to issue lawyer Tom Ojienda with a tax clearance certificate to vie for the LSK male representative to the JSC.
- The clearance of Mr Ojienda and another candidate, Mr Gathii Irungu who presented his papers late, had caused rifts in LSK.
Lawyers have approved a motion removing mandatory Higher Education Loans Board and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) clearances for candidates seeking Law Society of Kenya (LSK) posts.
There has been contention on the issue of clearance from the two agencies after LSK upheld its decision to clear Senior Counsel Tom Ojienda to seek re-election for the powerful Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seat after a bitter and protracted dispute with the taxman.
KRA refused to issue Mr Ojienda with a tax clearance certificate, a decision the lawyer told the High Court was calculated to sabotage his bid to be voted as the lawyer’s male representative to the JSC.
But on Saturday during the Annual General Meeting in Karen, Nairobi, lawyers in a majority decision of 287 members against 190 removed Tax Compliance Certificate and Helb Clearance Certificate under Section 6 (1) & (2) of LSK Electoral Code of Conduct 2018 in eligibility for Society elections.
The clearance of Mr Ojienda and another candidate, Mr Gathii Irungu who presented his papers late, had caused rifts in LSK.
Others interested in the JSC male representative post are former Independent Policing Oversight Authority boss Macharia Njeru, Mr Alex Gatunduand Mr Charles Mongare.
