Lawyer Fredrick Ngatia Faces JSC panel For Chief Justice Post
The search for Kenya`s Chief Justice enters day seven with Senior Counsel Fredrick Ngatia appearing before the Judicial Service Commission at the Supreme Court building where he is being interviewed for the position of Chief Justice.
Gathua Josephat 
Ngatia has achieved top honors in the country and is now seeking the opportunity to be Kenya`s next Chief Justice and president of the Supreme Court.
According to Kenyans, Ngatia looks like the most qualified candidate for the Chief Justice position in terms of age, legal experience, academic qualifications, managerial skills, network and connection with the other arms of Government that are the Legislature and Executive.
Ngatia is widely known and has been involved in several groundbreaking cases in Kenya at the Supreme court by representing big companies, high profile individuals and was also the lead counsel for President Uhuru Kenyatta in the presidential election petition of 2013 and twice in 2017. He is remembered for arguing the case that resulted in the abolition of the mandatory death sentence.
He is 64 years old with two masters degrees and about 41 years of experience in the legal profession. He acquired his first Masters of Law degree from the London School of Economics in 1984.
The Chief Justice is formally appointed by the president but is selected by the Judicial Service Commission in a competitive process and interviews. The Chief Justice should have at least 15 years as a legal practitioner. The new Chief Justice is expected to replace Justice Maraga who retired and handed over the instruments of power to Mwilu who is currently holding the position in an acting capacity until the new Chief Justice is appointed.
