Ruto appoints Katwa Kigen, 15 others as Court of Appeal judges

By Newsflash Writer

President William Ruto has formally appointed all 15 judges whose names were submitted to him last week by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) after the completion of interviews.

The appointments, published in Tuesday’s Gazette, formalise the elevation of the jurists to the Court of Appeal, the second-highest court.

The judges elevated are Hedwig Imbosa Ong’udi, Mathews Nduma Nderi, Linnet Mumo Ndolo, Enock Chacha Mwita, Lucy Mwihaki Njuguna, Samson Odhiambo Okongo, and Rachel Chepkoech Ngetich.

The rest include Ruto’s longtime ally and lawyer Joseph Kipchumba Kigen Katwa, Stephen Andersen Radido Okiyo, Brown Murungi Kairaria, the outgoing chair of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Ahmed Issack Hassan, Paul Lilan, Munyao Sila, Johnson Okoth Okello, and Justice Byram Ongaya.

Backlog

The appointments follow a process where the JSC conducted public vetting and interviews to ensure candidates met required standards of integrity, competence, and experience for appellate bench.

The move fills vacancies in the Court of Appeal, reinforcing Kenya’s judiciary at a crucial time as the institution rolls out key administrative reforms aimed at reducing the high number of pending case backlogs.

Additionally, the new judges are expected to raise the number of Court of Appeal judges to 42 from the previous 27, thereby enhancing the court’s overall capacity to manage cases more.

Even so, Kenya’s judiciary still faces a significant case backlog, although recent reports indicate progress in clearing long-pending matters nationwide.

Pending cases

According to the State of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice (SOJAR) Report for FY 2023/24, total pending cases across all courts fell from 272,678 in June 2023 to 244,267 by June 2024.

The backlog differs by court, with Magistrates’ Courts accounting for the largest share. The Court of Appeal had 5,822 pending cases at the close of June 2024, down from 6,942 the year before, showing a modest drop in unresolved matters.

The 15 newly appointed judges will assume places on the Court of Appeal, where they are expected to bolster the bench and help cut the backlog of cases.

They will, at the same time, handle appeals from the High Court and select tribunals, reconsidering both civil and criminal matters where a party argues a lower court erred.