Court of Appeal judge Justice Katwa Kigen, who previously served as President William Ruto's lawyer, is among six individuals who have applied for a Supreme Court judge position. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) announced on February 25, 2026, that it received six applications after the deadline on February 17, 2026. The vacancy arose from the death of Justice Mohamed Ibrahim on December 17, 2025.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has officially announced that it received six applications for one vacancy of a Supreme Court judge in Kenya. The announcement was made on February 25, 2026, shortly after the application deadline on February 17, 2026. The position became vacant due to the death of Justice Mohamed Ibrahim, who passed away on December 17, 2025, after a prolonged illness. His passing left the Supreme Court with an empty seat, prompting the recruitment process to restore the bench to its full complement of seven judges.
Among the applicants is Justice Katwa Kigen, who was appointed and sworn in as a Court of Appeal judge on January 27, 2026, and is currently deployed to the Nyeri station. Kigen previously represented President William Ruto in high-profile cases, including as part of his defense team at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and during the 2022 presidential election petition.
The other applicants are Justice Joseph Kiplagat Sergon, Justice Warsame Mohammed, Justice Francis Kipruto Tuiyot, Anne Waceke Kiratu Makori, and Lilian Wanjiku Wachira. The JSC advertised the vacancy on January 27, 2026.
According to the JSC announcement, the commission plans to hold a stakeholder engagement forum on March 23, 2026, ahead of the shortlisting process. Following shortlisting, interview dates for successful candidates will be notified, with the venue for the stakeholder meeting to be announced later. "The Commission plans to undertake a stakeholder engagement on March 23, 2026, ahead of the shortlisting process and thereafter will provide a notification of interview dates for shortlisted candidates," the JSC stated.
The final appointment will follow interviews and recommendations, as per the Constitution, before being forwarded to the President for nomination and to Parliament for approval.