Justice Wanjiru, the court’s most senior judge, will hold the position in an acting capacity pending the election of a substantive president by judges of the appellate court.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 29 – Chief Justice Martha Koome has appointed Lady Justice Wanjiru Karanja as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal following the expiry of Justice Daniel Musinga’s five-year term at the helm of the country’s second-highest court.

Justice Musinga’s tenure ended on May 24, 2026, marking the completion of the non-renewable five-year term prescribed for the office of President of the Court of Appeal.

Justice Wanjiru, the court’s most senior judge, will hold the position in an acting capacity pending the election of a substantive president by judges of the appellate court.

📌 What You Need to Know

Under Article 164 of the Constitution and the Court of Appeal Election Rules, judges of the Court of Appeal elect one of their own to serve as president of the court. The office holder also represents the appellate court at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The election has been scheduled for June 22, 2026, within the statutory 30-day window following the vacancy.

According to the election roadmap, the exercise will be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which oversees the process under the Court of Appeal Election Rules 2013.

The pre-election process includes formal notification of the vacancy, submission of the register of Court of Appeal judges eligible to vote, issuance of an election notice and a nomination period for candidates.

IEBC is expected to publish the election notice by June 8 — at least 14 days before the vote — formally opening nominations for interested candidates.

Nominations will run from June 8 to June 15, with candidates required to submit either self-nomination papers or nominations backed by colleagues.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya