Nairobi, Kenya - Kenya’s incoming attorney-general Githu Muigai, Thursday promised to mount a forthright fight against corruption, Kenya’s 'long-term cancer', blamed for poor performance of government departments, whose delivery of public service was previously termed lethargic. Prof. Muigai, whose earlier nomination for the post of attorney-general designate was withdrawn after Prime Minister Raila Odinga said no consensus has been reached with President Mwai Kibaki on his appointment, told a parliamentary team his term would be radically different in approach.

“There are things I would do differently,” Muigai told a parliamentary panel that screened him over his suitability for the position, soon to fall vacant after the expiry of Amos Wako’s tenure.

The Attorney-General’s office, whose role in Kenya’s politics has often lacked a distinct separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary and the legislature, was previously considered a key stumbling block to radical reforms and an intensified fight against corruption.

Wako, the incumbent, who leaves office Friday, after 20 years at the helm thanks to the year-old Kenyan constitution, was blamed for playing soft on the whims of the President.

Muigai, a member of a high panel of the African Union on Justice, was picked for the job on his merit but his critics have attributed his choice for the job to political patronage from the State House.

He pledged to pursue past corruption cases in the East African nation, previously listed as one of the most corrupt countries on the African continent.

President Kibaki nominated Muigai on Wednesday for the post, to beat an 27 August deadline for filling the post.

The country’s new constitution decreed that all constitutional office holders had to vacate office and new officers appointed in line with new regulations.

The new method of appointing the attorney-general was that the President would nominate the candidate after talks with the Prime Minister.

The Parliamentary Constitutional Oversight Committee (CIOC) was then tasked with vetting the officers and recommending them suitable to Parliament.

After a parliamentary approval, the nominee's name would then be sent to the President for appointment.

Pana 26/08/2011