None of the eight candidates shortlisted for the position of prosecutor general have met the standards required for the job.
This has forced the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to restart the recruitment process.
The JSC in a statement released on Tuesday say the candidates failed to demonstrate the level of legal knowledge and competency expected of a person seeking appointment to one of the country’s most senior positions in the criminal justice system.
The JSC had launched a recruitment process and invited qualified candidates to apply for the position. Applications closed on 16 January.
According to the commission, it adopted a two-stage selection process consisting of a written assessment followed by public interviews.
Only candidates who met the required standard in the written assessment would proceed to the interview stage.
After screening applications, the commission found that eight candidates met the constitutional and advertised requirements for the position. The candidates sat for the written assessment on 8 May.
The assessment tested legal knowledge, analytical ability, legal reasoning and the practical application of legal principles.
According to the commission, the assessment was marked out of 100. The highest score achieved was 49%, while the lowest was 30%.
After reviewing the results, the commission concluded that none of the candidates met the required standard. As a result, none of the eight candidates will proceed to the public interview stage.
“The holder of that office must possess a strong and demonstrable grasp of legal principles, prosecutorial functions and criminal justice processes,” the commission says.
The position became vacant after former prosecutor general Martha Imalwa’s term ended on 31 December 2025.
She was then appointed acting prosecutor general by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on the recommendation of the commission. Imalwa’s acting contract will come to an end in December.
The commission has resolved to restart the recruitment process and will soon invite new applications from suitably qualified candidates.
Candidates who participated in the previous recruitment round will be allowed to apply again.
The JSC says Imalwa will continue serving as acting prosecutorbgeneral while the recruitment process is completed.
