President Ruto oversee swearing-in of 15 Court of Appeal judges

President William Ruto has this morning officiated the swearing in of fifteen judges of the Court of Appeal at State House, Nairobi, in presence of Chief Justice Martha Koome.

Nine of the 15 CoA judges were promoted from the High Court. They were appointed through a Gazette Notice published yesterday, January 27, 2025 following interviews.

The appointments were made under Gazette Notice No. 1000 and are anchored in Article 166 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya, which grants the President authority to appoint judges of superior courts.

The new appellate judges include seasoned jurists drawn from the High Court, senior advocates and legal professionals.

Today’s swearing in aim to address the acute shortage of judges at the Court of Appeal, which has been operating with only 27 judges against a statutory capacity of 70.

They include Hedwig Imbosa Ong’udi, Mathews Nduma Nderi, Linnet Mumo Ndolo, Enock Chacha Mwita, Lucy Mwihaki Njuguna, Samson Odhiambo Okongo and Rachel Chepkoech Ngetich.

President Ruto’s longtime lawyer, Joseph Kipchumba Kigen Katwa, Ahmed Issack Hassan, the outgoing chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, Paul Lilan, Munyao Sila, Johnson Okoth Okello and Byram Ongaya also featured on the list. The appointments raise the number of judges in the Court of Appeal, the second-highest court in Kenya, from 27 to 42.

This expansion aims to bolster judicial capacity and speed up the handling of appellate cases, which have long faced delays due to high caseloads.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) initiated the process, conducting public interviews and vetting candidates in line with constitutional requirements.

The selection process involved public advertising of vacancies, public participation before shortlisting, open interviews and thorough vetting based on professional competence, communication skills, integrity, fairness and legal experience. Chief Justice Martha Koome described the recruitment process as “rigorous, transparent and competitive,” saying the new judges will help reduce case backlogs and improve access to justice.

Once sworn in, Court of Appeal judges hear appeals from the High Court and specialised tribunals, making their role central to the country’s justice system.

The expanded bench is expected to deepen the judiciary’s ability to adjudicate complex legal and constitutional matters with greater efficiency ahead of the 2027 general election cycle.

The appointments follow a two-week interview period during which 35 shortlisted candidates were assessed from a pool of 95 applicants, reinforcing expectations that merit and constitutional principles guided the selections Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo had earlier congratulated the 15 judges.

In a statement, Odhiambo said their addition will significantly strengthen the country’s appellate court and enrich Kenya’s jurisprudence.

“Congratulations to all the nominees for the position of Judge of the Court of Appeal. We believe that the Court is strengthened by their addition, and look forward to their contributions in enriching our jurisprudence. May they all serve diligently, with integrity and fidelity to the law,” she said.

Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs the commission, said the selection process evaluated candidates on professional competence, legal and life experience, communication skills, integrity, and commitment to public service and constitutionalism.

“This will strengthen the Court’s ability to address the existing backlog of cases and enhance access to justice through the timely hearing and determination of appeals,” Koome said.

The Court of Appeal, Kenya’s second-highest court, sits in collegiate benches of uneven numbers, starting from three judges.

It handles appeals from the High Court and courts of equal status, shaping binding jurisprudence on constitutional, commercial, and public law disputes across the country, including in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Eldoret.