Ruto’s ICC lawyer Kigen, ex-IEBC chair Hassan among 15 appellate court nominees
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has nominated fifteen candidates for appointment as Judges of the Court of Appeal, marking a major expansion of Kenya’s second-highest court aimed at easing case backlogs and improving access to justice.
Among the nominees are Katwa Kigen, a senior advocate who previously represented President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson and current of the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA) chairperson Issack Hassan.
The list also features a strong lineup of serving High Court judges, including Justices Chacha Mwita, Hedwig Imbosa Ong’udi, Mathews Nduma Nderi, Linnet Mumo Ndolo, Lucy Mwihaki Njuguna, Samson Okongo, Rachel Chepkoech Ngetich, Stephen Radido Okiyo, Munyao Sila and Byram Ongaya.
Other nominees are senior advocates Brown Murungi Kairaria, Paul Lilan and Johnson Okoth Okello, reflecting what the Commission described as a deliberate balance between judicial experience and private legal practice.
In a statement, the JSC said the nominations followed a rigorous, competitive and transparent recruitment process that included public advertisement of vacancies, public participation during shortlisting, live-streamed interviews and extensive vetting, conducted in line with the Constitution and the Judicial Service Act.
The Commission said it was guided by constitutional principles of merit, integrity, fairness, gender parity, inclusivity and regional balance. Candidates were assessed on professional competence, communication skills, integrity, judgment, legal and life experience, and commitment to the rule of law and constitutionalism.
The nominees’ names will now be forwarded to President William Ruto for formal appointment under Article 166(1)(b) of the Constitution.
If approved, the appointments will increase the number of Court of Appeal judges from 27 to 42, significantly boosting the court’s capacity to hear and determine appeals faster.
