NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 12 – President William Ruto has nominated Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u as Kenya’s candidate for the upcoming International Criminal Court (ICC) judicial elections scheduled for December 2026.
Justice Ndung’u, who has served on Kenya’s Supreme Court since 2011, will join a global field of candidates competing for six judicial seats at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands.
Among the nominees from other countries are Deo John Nangela of Tanzania, Rosette Muzigo of Uganda, Everlyn Ankumah of Ghana, Guénaël Mettraux of Switzerland, Yoshimitsu Yamauchi, and Diana Carolina Olarte of Colombia.
The Assembly of States Parties will hold its twenty-fifth session from 7 to 17 December 2026 to elect the judges.
According to Article 36 of the Rome Statute, ICC judges must be “persons of high moral character, impartiality and integrity who possess the qualifications required in their respective States for appointment to the highest judicial office.”
A permanent due diligence procedure, established under ICC-ASP/22/Res.3, ensures transparency in the nomination process.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) maintains a confidential channel for receiving any allegations of misconduct against nominated candidates.
Justice Ndung’u is a distinguished legal practitioner and human rights advocate. She is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Human Rights and Civil Liberties, as well as a diploma in Women’s Rights.
Her professional experience spans roles as State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, Programme Officer at the Institute for Education in Democracy, National Protection Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Political Analyst in Conflict Management at the African Union.
She has also served in public office as a Member of the Pan-African Parliament and in Kenya’s 9th National Assembly (2003–2007), where she sat on the Standing Committees on Defence and Foreign Affairs, Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution.
Justice Ndung’u is the architect of landmark legislation, including the Sexual Offences Act 2006, amendments to the Employment Act 2007 introducing paid maternity and paternity leave, and provisions in the Political Parties Act 2007 promoting women’s participation in politics.
A member of the Committee of Experts that drafted the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, Justice Ndung’u has received multiple accolades for her contributions to law and governance.
She was named UN Person of the Year in Kenya (2006), awarded the International Commission of Jurists’ Jurist of the Year (2006), and received both the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) and, more recently, the Chief of the Burning Spear (CBS) presidential honours.
