Ruto's lawyer Kigen, Warsame shortlisted for Supreme Court judge role

Court of Appeal judges Mohammed Warsame and Katwa Kigen. [Courtesy]

Court of Appeal Judge Katwa Kigen, a former lawyer for President William Ruto, and fellow appellate judges Mohammed Warsame and Francis Tuiyott are among five candidates shortlisted for a Supreme Court vacancy by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The other candidates are High Court Judge Joseph Sergon and Anne Waceke Makori.

In a notice, the JSC said interviews will be held on April 28 and 29.

Makori will be interviewed first at 9am on April 28, followed by Kigen and Sergon at 11am and 2pm, respectively. Justices Tuiyott and Warsame will face the panel on April 29 at 9am, and 11 a.m., respectively.

Lilian Wanjiku Maina Wachira was the only applicant not shortlisted.

Kigen was recently appointed to the Court of Appeal from private practice, alongside 14 others. He is widely known for representing Ruto in several cases, including those at the International Criminal Court.

Ruto was charged at the ICC over his alleged role in the 2007–08 post-election violence, which left more than 1,000 people dead and displaced many others. His co-accused included former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Joshua Sang, Henry Kosgei, Francis Muthaura and former police chief Hussein Ali.

Justice Warsame has served at the Court of Appeal since 2012. He joined the Judiciary as a High Court judge in 2003 and has worked in the Commercial, Criminal and Judicial Review divisions.

The Judiciary says Warsame has a strong record in clearing cases. He also chaired the Community Service and Probation Committee, during which more than 7,000 petty offenders were released from prisons across the country.

Justice Tuiyott has served as a Court of Appeal judge since 2021, having joined the Judiciary in 2011 as a High Court judge and has worked in several divisions, including Commercial and Tax.

Sergon has been a judge since 2002, and has served as presiding judge in Mombasa, Bungoma, Busia, Nyeri, Kericho, Lodwar and at the Milimani Civil Division.

Makori, the only woman on the shortlist, is a former chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). She led the agency from 2018 to 2024 before being succeeded by now appellate judge Issack Hassan.

The vacancy arose after the death of Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Ibrahim in December 2025.

By law, the Supreme Court has seven judges, led by Chief Justice Martha Koome and Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu. Other judges are Smokin Wanjala, William Ouko, Isaac Lenaola and Njoki Ndung’u.