President William Ruto has officially appointed former Kitutu Masaba MP Shadrack Mose as the next Solicitor General after his approval by Parliament.
After official appointment through a Gazette Notice dated March 15, 2023, Mr Mose replaces Ken Ogeto. Mr Ogeto was appointed during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s era.
Mr Ogeto assumed the post from Njee Muturi who was then moved to the post of State House Deputy Chief of Staff in changes during the Jubilee administration.
The law provides that the solicitor general serves for a period of five years with the window for renewal for another term. Mr Ogeto's term was ending this month.
Mr Mose who vied on United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket to defend his Kitutu Masaba Parliamentary seat lost to Clive Gisero of ODM. Mr Mose had won the seat in the 2017 polls on a Jubilee ticket.
Mr Mose emerged top among three people whose names were submitted for consideration for appointment to the position of Solicitor General, the State Law Office.
The Public Service Commission invited applications for the position of Solicitor General on November 1, 2022. A total of 18 people applied for the position with eight being shortlisted on November 30, 2022.
Mr Mose is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over 29 years of experience in legal practice. He is currently the Managing partner at M/S Mose, Mose and Mose Advocates.
The former lawmaker has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law, Kenya School of Law and holds a Laws Degree from the University of Nairobi and he also hails from Nyamira county where his predecessor comes from.
President Ruto decided to give Gusiiland the Solicitor General just like his predecessor in a move aimed at elbowing Azimio La Umoja One Kenya boss Raila Odinga from the region.
The Solicitor-General shall assist the Attorney-General in the performance of the duties of the Attorney-General.
Aside from assisting the Attorney General the Solicitor General has several other duties among them to conduct, or assign and supervise all court cases, including appeals or petitions on behalf of the Attorney-General and subject to Article 234 of the Constitution, be responsible for the discipline of state counsels and other members of staff of the office.
The Office of the Attorney General Act also gives the Solicitor General power to formulate and ensure implementation of development strategies for government legal services, co-ordinating the attachment of candidates for pupilage in the office and performing such other duties as may be conferred by law or otherwise assigned to the Solicitor-General by the Attorney-General.
In addition to undertaking the duties of chairperson of the Advocates Disciplinary Tribunal, the Solicitor General performs duties as alternate chairperson of the College of Arms.
It is also a prerequisite for appointment that the holder of the office must be qualified to hold office of judge of superior court under the Constitution and meets the requirements threshold of Chapter Six of the Constitution.
