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Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya
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Justice William Okello Ouko (born 21 November 1961 in Siaya County, Kenya) is a senior Kenyan jurist serving as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya, appointed in May 2021 by President Uhuru Kenyatta following nomination by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Prior to this role, he served as President of the Court of Appeal of Kenya from March 2018 until his elevation. A long-serving judicial officer, he began his career as a District Magistrate II (Professional) in 1987 and over the decades rose through the judiciary’s administrative and judicial ranks
Elected President of the Court of Appeal in March 2018 by his peers, a role in which he oversaw appellate administration and strategic reform for the bench.
Appointed to the Supreme Court in May 2021, where he now sits among the country’s highest judicial authorities and has contributed to landmark constitutional and presidential-election decisions.
In 2012, the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board initially found him “unfit” due to backlog concerns from his High Court tenure; however, he was later cleared to continue service and subsequently appointed to higher office. (This issue reflects broader systemic concerns about judicial delays rather than a personal disciplinary finding.)
His participation in presidential-election petitions and high-profile constitutional cases places him in the glare of public and political commentary, where some critics allege bias or activism; no formal finding of misconduct specific to him has been publicly established.
Through successive administrative posts (Registrar of the High Court, Chief Court Administrator, etc.), he played a key role in the transformation, staffing, and governance of Kenya’s judiciary administrative infrastructure.
Delivered a public lecture at the University of Nairobi in March 2023 on access to justice and mentorship in law, signalling his commitment to legal education and reform.
Observers occasionally point to the speed of delivery of judgments and case-management metrics in his past judicial roles (especially during his time as Registrar and High Court judge) as part of systemic reform discussions in Kenya’s judiciary.
While in administrative leadership roles he oversaw phases of institutional reform, the pace and visible impact of some reforms (such as backlog reduction, case-management digitalisation) have been flagged by civil-society groups as slower than optimal—though again, not as attributable to him personally.
