The selection of a new judge to join the country’s highest court enters a decisive phase on Tuesday as five shortlisted candidates appear before a public interview panel in a closely watched process that will determine who joins the Supreme Court bench.
The interviews, announced by the Judicial Service Commission, will run for two days and mark the final stage of filling the vacancy at the apex court.
The position fell vacant following the death of Justice Mohamed Ibrahim in December 2025, leaving the court operating below its full complement of seven judges at a time when it is expected to handle sensitive constitutional questions and election-related disputes ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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The shortlist brings together four judges from the superior courts and one advocate. Those set to face the panel are Court of Appeal judges Mohammed Warsame, Katwa Kigen and Francis Tuiyott, High Court judge Joseph Sergon, and advocate Anne Waceke Makori, a former chair of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
Makori will be the first to appear before the 11-member panel chaired by Chief Justice Martha Koome on Tuesday at 9am. She will be followed by Kigen at 11am and Sergon at 2pm.
On Wednesday, Tuiyott is scheduled to appear at 9am, while Warsame will conclude the interviews at 11am.
The commission stated: “The commission shortlisted five candidates for the post of Judge of the Supreme Court,” signalling the shift from paper screening to oral vetting.
The interviews have attracted public attention due to the Supreme Court’s central role in handling presidential election petitions and interpreting the Constitution.
Members of the public have also been invited to submit information on any of the candidates. The commission says such submissions will be treated confidentially and may be used during the vetting process.
The shortlist was drawn from six applicants who applied after the position was advertised on January 28, with the application period closing on February 17. One candidate did not make it to the final list.
Each of the five candidates brings long legal experience. Joseph Sergon has served in the High Court since 2002, handling civil and constitutional matters for more than two decades. Mohammed Warsame has served in the Court of Appeal and handled major constitutional and commercial disputes, and also previously served at the Judicial Service Commission.
Katwa Kigen joined the Court of Appeal in 2026 after years in private practice, where he handled high-profile cases, including representing William Ruto at the International Criminal Court. Francis Tuiyott was appointed to the High Court in 2011 and elevated in 2021, with experience in commercial and tax matters and earlier service at the Sugar Arbitration Tribunal.
Anne Waceke Makori brings a mixed background of legal practice and public oversight work, especially from her time at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, where she dealt with police accountability issues.
The recruitment process followed consultations involving professional bodies, civil society groups and religious organisations, which gave input on the qualities expected of the next Supreme Court judge.
The interview panel, apart from the Chief Justice, includes Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, Isaac Rutto, Everlyne Olwande, Jacqueline Ingutiah, Caroline Nzilani Ajuoga, Charity Kisotu, Justice Fatuma Sichale, Omwanza Ombati, Justice Anthony Mrima and Njoki Ndung’u.
The process is guided by constitutional requirements on integrity, competence and suitability under Chapter Six.
Background checks are being conducted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Kenya Revenue Authority, alongside input from the Law Society of Kenya.
The successful candidate will restore the Supreme Court to its full bench, strengthening its ability to handle constitutional interpretation and election disputes as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.
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