Lady Justice Njoki Ndungu has been elected unopposed as the Supreme Court representative to Kenya’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC), filling the vacancy created by the death of Justice Mohammed Kadhar Ibrahim.
The election took place on 9 January 2026 and was presided over by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Returning Officer Dr Swalhah Yusuf. It complied with the Judicial Service Act 2011, which requires a fresh nominee within 21 days of a vacancy on the commission.
Unopposed election
The Judiciary announced the outcome in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Hon Lady Justice Njoki Ndungu, CBS, SCJ, has today been elected unopposed as the representative of the Supreme Court to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), following the passing of Judge Mohammed Kadhar Ibrahim,” the statement said in part.
Lady Justice Ndungu, appointed to the Supreme Court in June 2011 as part of its inaugural bench, brings extensive experience in constitutional interpretation, human rights and gender justice. She holds a Master of Laws in Human Rights and Civil Liberties from the University of Leicester and a Diploma in Women’s Rights.
Before joining the bench, she served as state counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, programme officer at the Institute for Education in Democracy, national protection officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and political analyst in conflict management at the African Union. She also sat on the Committee of Experts that drafted the 2010 Constitution.
Her legislative legacy includes drafting the Sexual Offences Act 2006 and key amendments to the Employment Act 2007 introducing paid maternity and paternity leave, as well as affirmative action provisions in the Political Parties Act 2007.
She has received international recognition, including the UN Person of the Year in Kenya award in 2006 and the International Commission of Jurists Jurist of the Year the same year. She holds the presidential honour of Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear.
Filling a significant vacancy
Justice Ibrahim died on 17 December 2025 after a long illness. A founding member of the Supreme Court, he was the first Kenyan Somali admitted to the bar in 1983 and championed minority rights, human rights and judicial reform throughout his career.
His passing, at age 69 while on terminal leave ahead of retirement, was widely mourned as a loss to Kenya’s constitutional jurisprudence.
Lady Justice Ndungu’s election ensures continuity in Supreme Court representation on the JSC — the constitutional body responsible for judicial appointments, discipline, independence and administration of justice.
Chief Justice Martha Koome’s office welcomed the development, stating it “reinforces the Judiciary’s commitment to strong institutional governance, integrity, and constitutionalism.”
The swift process highlights the Judiciary’s adherence to legal timelines and stability in a key democratic institution.
