April 27, 2021
For immediate release
Washington, DC— The Institute for African Women in Law notes with excitement the recent selection of Justice Martha Koome (CA) as the first woman Chief Justice of Kenya by the Judicial Service Commission of Kenya following a rigorous search.
Justice Koome's judicial experience, passion for the rule of law, and human rights made her a perfect candidate for the position. Justice Koome came out as the top candidate from a list of ten candidates vying for the position.
We wish her the very best in her tenure as the Chief Justice of Kenya. She joins a long line of women who have served as Chief Justices across Africa.
At the Institute for African Women in Law, we continue to engage with judiciaries across the continent to ignite change in institutional cultures, norms and practices that operate under unconscious gender bias. We hope that the recent outcome in Kenya will set in motion further changes in the Kenyan judiciary, and a regional diffusion on the merit, experience and capacity women judges bring to the leadership table.
Well done Justice Koome! Well done to the Kenyan JSC!