CJ Koome Appoints Wanjiru Karanja Acting Court Of Appeal President
News Updated: 29 May 2026 16:08 EAT
Lady Justice Wanjiru Karanja is the acting President of the Court of Appeal
Chief Justice Martha Koome has appointed Justice Wanjiru Karanja as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal following the expiry of Justice Daniel Musinga’s five-year term.
Justice Musinga’s tenure officially ended on May 24, 2026, after serving the constitutionally prescribed non-renewable term since his election in 2021 to head Kenya’s second-highest court.
Justice Karanja, currently the most senior judge at the Court of Appeal, will serve in an acting capacity until judges of the appellate court elect a substantive president.
The Judiciary has scheduled the election for June 22, 2026, within the statutory timeline required after a vacancy occurs in the office. The process will be overseen by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission under the Court of Appeal Election Rules 2013.
According to the election roadmap, the IEBC is expected to publish the official election notice by June 8, formally opening the nomination process for interested judges. Nominations will run until June 15 before verification and publication of the final list of candidates.
If more than one candidate is cleared, judges of the Court of Appeal will vote through a secret ballot system. The winning candidate must secure more than 50 percent of the votes cast, with a runoff expected if no outright majority is achieved in the first round.
Justice Wanjiru Karanja is among the Judiciary’s most experienced appellate judges, having served in Kenya’s judicial system for decades. She joined the Judiciary in 1985 as a magistrate before being elevated to the High Court in 2004 and later to the Court of Appeal in 2011.
Her legal background includes extensive work in criminal and civil law, and Kenya has previously nominated her for international judicial positions, including the International Criminal Court.
Justice Musinga’s leadership at the Court of Appeal was marked by the handling of major constitutional, governance and electoral disputes during a politically significant period in Kenya.
The Court of Appeal remains one of Kenya’s most critical judicial institutions, hearing appeals from the High Court, the Employment and Labour Relations Court, the Environment and Land Court, and other tribunals established by law.
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FELIX MAKONA
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