President William Ruto has formally appointed 15 new judges to the Court of Appeal, a decisive move aimed at unclogging the judiciary’s most critical bottleneck. The list, gazetted today, includes high-profile legal minds and seasoned High Court judges who survived a "rigorous and bruising" vetting process by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The appointments come after months of paralysis in the appellate court, where a shortage of judges had stalled hundreds of commercial and criminal appeals. Among the appointees are heavyweights like Senior Counsel Katwa Kigen, known for his high-stakes litigation, and Issack Hassan, the former IEBC Chairperson who has now transitioned from electoral management to the bench.

The New Guardians of Justice

Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chaired the selection panel, described the recruitment as "one of the most competitive in Kenya’s history," with 35 candidates battling for the 15 slots. The final list strikes a delicate balance between gender, regional representation, and legal philosophy.

• Katwa Kigen: A seasoned litigator whose appointment signals the bench's openness to private practitioners with deep criminal and constitutional law experience.
• Issack Hassan: The former IPOA and IEBC boss brings a wealth of administrative law experience, despite his controversial tenure at the electoral body.
• Justice Hedwig Ong'udi: Known for her no-nonsense approach in the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of the High Court.
• Justice Chacha Mwita: A staunch defender of the Bill of Rights, whose rulings have frequently checked executive power.
• Others include: Justice Mathews Nduma Nderi, Justice Linnet Mumo Ndolo, Justice Lucy Mwihaki Njuguna, Justice Samson Odhiambo Okongo, Justice Rachel Chepkoech Ngetich, Justice Stephen Radido Okiyo, Brown Murungi Kairaria, Paul Lilan, Justice Munyao Sila, Johnson Okoth Okello, and Justice Byram Ongaya.

A Court Under Pressure

The Court of Appeal is effectively the final court for 95% of cases in Kenya, as only a fraction proceed to the Supreme Court. The injection of 15 new judges is expected to operationalize stalled benches in Nyeri, Kisumu, and Mombasa, which had been crippled by manpower shortages. "Justice delayed is justice denied," noted LSK President Eric Theuri. "These appointments are a shot in the arm for the rule of law."

However, the new judges face a daunting docket. They inherit a backlog of over 5,000 cases, ranging from complex land disputes to election petitions that will define the political landscape ahead of the 2027 polls.

As they take their oath of office at State House, the 15 women and men carry the weight of a nation hungry for swift, fair, and untainted justice.