PREMIUM Can Kenya’s public appointment system resist presidential patronage? Preventing unilateral or politically expedient appointments while preserving legitimate executive authority DN2 Just now Listen

In Trusted Society of Human Rights Alliance v Attorney General & Others (2012), the High Court held that public appointments must comply with constitutional values, including integrity, transparency and merit.

In Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) v Public Service Commission & Others (2014), Judge Isaac Lenaola, by the jurisdiction of his Court affirmed that recruitment must be competitive and merit‑driven, and that appointments made outside transparent procedures violate Article 232.

Is this appointment model consistent with merit-based public service, and how can Kenyan law better safeguard merit in such appointments?