Kenya gets 28 new high court judges, including 14 women, two from Kenyan Diaspora, 11 serving magistrates, a woman with albinism and a Kenyan-European.
Among those who have been appointed is Mrs Lydia Achode who until Monday was the high court registrar. Kenya’s new Constitution created a new position for chief registrar to administer the whole court system.
Also named to the list of new judges, and currently in the Diaspora, are a 38-year-old Washington State University lecturer Ngugi Mwaura, and a lawyer in private practice David Majanja Shikomera who once served as an assisting counsel in the Waki commission which probed the post-election violence.
Prof Ngugi Mwaura
Professor Ngugi joined the faculty of Washington State University in 2004. His research interests include the role of law in economic development, the role of governments in market regulation and wealth allocation, and legal reforms in transition and developing economies. He teaches Contracts Law and Contracts Theory, Public and Private International Law (including courses in Law and Development, International Business Transactions, Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples Rights, International Economic Law), and Business Organizations. Professor Ngugi was selected by the students as a Philip A. Trautman Professor of the Year for 2004-05 and was selected as Small Section Professor of the Year for 2010-11.
Prior to joining the faculty, Professor Ngugi practiced law with the Boston law firm of Foley Hoag, LLP, as a corporate and international litigation associate. He also practiced law with the Kenyan firm Kariuki Muigua & Company Advocates. Professor Ngugi has worked with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and conducted research work for the Global Coalition for Africa/World Bank, Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at Harvard University and at the Global Trade Watch Division of the Public Citizens, Inc. in Washington, DC.
At Harvard University, he was one of two recipients of the John Gallup Laylin Prize in International Law in 2002. At Harvard, his many fellowships and grants included the Clark Byse Fellowship (for academic distinction among graduate students) and the European Law Research Center Seminar Fellowship. Professor Ngugi was also awarded dissertation fellowship grants from the Institute for the Study of World Politics, Washington, DC and the MacArthur-Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
David Majanja Shikomera
David Majanja holds an LLM (Trade and Investment Law in Africa) from the University of Pretoria/ an LLB degree from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Kenya School of Law. He was called to the bar in 1997. He currently specializes in civil and commercial litigation.
Majanja has also been instrumental in the protection of Financial institutions interests as reserved under specific Instruments.
He also served as an assisting counsel in the Waki Commission that investigated the 2007/2008 post-election violence
The appointments were made by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is chaired by the Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.
The full list of appointed high court judges:
- Lydia Achode – High Court registrar
- Pauline Nyamweya – University of Nairobi law lecturer
- Ngugi Mwaura – Washington State University lecturer
- Havelock Jonathan Bowen – a former partner at prominent Nairobi law firm Kaplan and Straton Advocates
- Odunga Vincent – an author of a widely used book on civil procedure, Digest on Civil Case Law and Procedure.
- Celicia Githua – Magistrate, Kibera Law Courts
- Grace Nzioka – Magistrate, Kibera Law Courts
- Christine Meoli – Chief Magistrate, Kiambu
- Ong’undi Imbosa – Magistrate, Kericho
- Stella Muketi – Magistrate, Nyeri
- Rose Ougo – Magistrate
- Beatrice Jaden Thuranira – Magistrate
- Korir Roseline Cherotich – Magistrate
- Korir Kipyegon – Magistrate
- Stella Ngali Mutuku – Registrar at East Africa Court of Justice
- Mumbi Ngugi – Advocate living with albinism
- Kimondo Kanyi – Once taught law at the University of Nairobi
- David Majanja Shikomera – Once served as an assisting counsel in the Waki Commission that investigated the 2007/2008 post-election violence
- Richard Mururu – Formerly of the Public Procurement Review Board
- Joseph Mutava – Central Bank’s legal department
- Alfred Mabeya
- Abigail Mshila
- Makau Aaron
- Francis Tuiyot
- Roseline Lagat
- James Wakiaga
- Ogola Erick Okumu
- Chemitei Kiplagat
Source-https://www.kbc.co.ke/
Two Kenyan Diaspora Among 28 Newly Appointed Kenya High Court Judges
