Kenya is intensifying diplomatic efforts to secure a full nine-year term for Judge Phoebe Okowa at the International Court of Justice, following her historic election to the world’s highest tribunal in November 2025.
Judge Okowa, who became the first Kenyan to serve on the ICJ when she was elected to fill a vacancy last year, must now compete in November 2026 elections for a regular term running from 2027 to 2036. The elections will take place during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said Kenya is mobilizing international support for Okowa’s candidacy, emphasizing her competence and the country’s commitment to strengthening global judicial institutions.
“Kenya continues to seek the support of UN member states for Judge Okowa’s candidature,” Sing’oei said, describing her initial election as demonstrating “confidence in her judicial competence and Kenya’s standing.”
Historic Breakthrough for Kenya
Okowa’s November 2025 election marked a watershed moment for Kenya. After four rounds of voting, she secured absolute majorities in both the UN General Assembly and Security Council, defeating three other candidates to fill the seat vacated by Somalia’s Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf.
The 60-year-old jurist currently serves a shortened term until February 2027, completing Yusuf’s unexpired mandate. To continue beyond that date, she must win election to a full nine-year term.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has led Kenya’s diplomatic outreach, meeting with foreign ministers across Africa, Asia and beyond to build support. During a September 2025 meeting with Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba, Mudavadi emphasized Okowa’s role in “shaping international law” and championing “justice and accountability on the global stage.”
Distinguished Legal Career
Okowa brings formidable credentials to the ICJ bench. Born in Kericho on January 1, 1965, she graduated with first-class honors from the University of Nairobi in 1987, becoming the first woman to achieve that distinction in the law faculty’s history. She later earned advanced degrees from Oxford University.
A professor of public international law at Queen Mary University of London, Okowa has acted as counsel in cases before the ICJ and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. In 2021, she became the first African woman elected to the UN International Law Commission.
Most recently, she represented Namibia before the ICJ in advisory proceedings concerning Israel’s obligations regarding the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Her scholarship focuses on state responsibility, environmental law and armed conflict.
Campaign Challenges Ahead
To win a full term, Okowa must again secure absolute majorities in both the General Assembly and Security Council—a diplomatic challenge requiring sustained engagement with nearly 200 UN member states.
Kenya’s campaign infrastructure includes teams in Nairobi, New York, Geneva, Brussels, Vienna and Addis Ababa. The country has entered reciprocal support arrangements with other nations, trading backing for various international positions.
At an August 2025 diplomatic reception in New York, Okowa outlined her vision for the court, pledging to address delays in proceedings and modernize operations. Some cases currently take up to a decade to resolve, she noted, calling such delays “frustrating” for states appearing before the tribunal.
If elected to a full term, Okowa would join Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde as one of the few African women serving on the 15-member bench. Her presence would enhance diversity on a court currently hearing high-profile cases including South Africa’s genocide allegations against Israel.
The ICJ, established in 1945 and headquartered in The Hague, settles legal disputes between states and issues advisory opinions on international law questions. Judges serve nine-year terms and are elected based on their legal expertise rather than national quotas, though the court aims for geographical diversity.
