The race to succeed Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and his deputy, Kalpana Rawal, is taking shape with intensified lobbying.
Dr Mutunga, who is the President of the Supreme Court was set to retire by June 17, 2017 when he turns 70.
However, on Friday Mutunga announced that he is set for early retirement, which he pegged on June 2016 when he clocks 69 years.
Justice Rawal turns 70 next year and she is likely to leave office before then.
The impending vacancy is attracting great interest from her possible successors, as whoever succeeds her will emerge as a front-runner in the race to succeed Mutunga.
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Announcing his opting to retire early, Mutunga cited the need to take up the transformation process across East Africa as his main reason for early exit.
"I would like to spend time talking to the judiciaries in Eastern Africa, Africa, and Global South about our transformation journey and its lessons. Ours has been what I have called transformation from the margins," said Mutunga.
He added: "Seeing an audience from East Africa, and colleagues who may not have reflected on what we have achieved, I would not miss the opportunity for anything."
Sources within the corridors of justice say his decision to retire early (next year) is to pave way for the transition ahead of the 2017 general polls.
Should he have retired in June 2017, there would have only been less than two months for the incoming Chief Justice to take over before Kenyans head to the 2017 general elections.
According to sources privy to impending retirement, the reasoning behind his early exit is to provide time and space for his successor to settle into the Judiciary's highest seat.
But even as he prepares to exit, he challenged his colleagues in the justice system to remain steadfast in the wake of allegations of graft within the Judiciary.
Sources say the scramble for the post of Chief Justice is a delicate balance, with the Jubilee administration reportedly keen on having a firm grip on the Judicial Service Commission and the Supreme Court ahead of the 2017 polls.
Insiders say succession politics has split the courts in as far as support for hopefuls is concerned.
