Editor's Review

President William Ruto has nominated Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u as Kenya’s candidate for election as judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

President William Ruto has nominated Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u as Kenya’s candidate for election as judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The election of the ICC judges will be held during the 25th session of the Assembly of States Parties, which will take place from December 7, 2026, to December 17, 2026, in New York.

Ndung’u was nominated by the Head of State following recommendations by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The Supreme Court judge will compete with candidates from other nations for the six vacant positions on the ICC bench.

Other candidates who have been nominated include: Deo John Nangela from Tanzania, Rosette Muzigo from Uganda, Everlyn Ankumah from Ghana, Guénaël Mettraux from Switzerland, Yoshimitsu Yamauchi of Japan, and Diana Carolina Olarte from Colombia.

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File image of Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u.

Justice Ndung’u has served in the Supreme Court since June 16, 2011, and is one of the longest-serving members on the bench.

Ndungu began her career as a State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, where she served from 1989 to 1993.

She also served as a member of parliament in the 9th Parliament from 2003 to 2007, where she sat in the Standing Committees on Defense and Foreign Affairs; Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs; and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution.

Justice Ndung’u holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Nairobi, a Master of Laws (LLM) in human rights and civil liberties from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and a Diploma on Women's Rights from the World University Service in Austria.

Her nomination to ICC comes months after Kenyan lawyer Professor Phoebe Okowa was elected as a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Okowa was elected to the position on November 11 by both the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Security Council after four rounds of voting.

The Kenyan lawyer defeated three other candidates in the vote held on Wednesday to clinch the prime position.

“After four rounds of voting, Prof Phoebe Okowa has been duly elected by both the UNGA and UN Security Council, a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), defeating three other candidates,” said PS Korir Sing’Oei.