The National Assembly has been forced back to the drawing board after Dr. Duncan Oburu Ojwang, President William Ruto’s nominee for Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), declined the appointment.
In a communication to the House on Tuesday, 5th August 2025, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula informed MPs that Dr. Ojwang had formally written to reject the nomination, citing personal reasons and a potential conflict of interest.
The lawyer, renowned for his expertise in national and international human rights law, policy, and constitutional matters, had been shortlisted by the President and referred to the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs for vetting.
With the withdrawal, Clerk of the National Assembly Samwel Njoroge will now notify the appointing authority to facilitate the nomination of a replacement.
Dr. Ojwang’s exit comes just days after his name was submitted to Parliament, marking a rare instance where a high-profile appointee steps down before vetting begins.
