How A Certificate Of Good Conduct Cost This Judge The Chief Justice Position

Job applications have advanced over the years and it is no longer just academic qualifications required.

Ever since the issue of integrity became a requirement a certificate of good conduct has become one of the most sought after documents and now a Court Of Appeal Judge is ruing cursing his luck for the lack of one. Justice GBM Kariuki missed out on applying for the recently advertised job of the Chief Justice and all this for the lack of a Certificate of Good Conduct.

He had applied for one in good time and having met all the qualifications he expected to be issued with one in reasonable time. However, the police failed to issue and now the understandably dismayed judge is suing the DCI accusing them of having acted maliciously and unfairly halted his bid to be the next Chief Justice. Through his lawyer in a letter to the AG the judge said “It is clear that the director of CID acted maliciously with the aim of sabotaging Justice Kariuki’s application for the position of Chief Justice,”

The lawyer said the DCI director had said there were some records which were required before issuing the certificate causing the delay which saw the judge miss out on the application. He was surprised given he had gone through two previous applications for a Certificate of Good Conduct successfully one during the Judges vetting and then during his application for his current position as a court of appeal judge.

The judge is also suing for injury he suffered according to his lawyer. Justice GBM Kariuki may not have been among the touted favorites but given his experience qualifications and how the whole shortlisting affair panned out, he will be feeling he had a fair shot at the presidency of the judiciary. Such is life