As Kenya co-hosts the high-profile Africa Forward Summit with France, President William Ruto is using bilateral meetings with African leaders to aggressively lobby for Supreme Court Justice Njoki Ndung’u’s candidature for a judgeship at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Taking to his official X account on Sunday, May 10, 2026, Ruto stepped up his campaign to secure a seat for Kenya at the International Criminal Court.

The summit, themed around “Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” opened on May 11-12, 2026, at the University of Nairobi, bringing together over 30 heads of state, investors, and private sector leaders.

President William Ruto has personally led diplomatic efforts for Justice Njoki Ndung’u on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit.

In his campaign strategy, Ruto has introduced Justice Ndung’u to dignitaries, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Côte d’Ivoire’s Alassane Ouattara, Liberia’s Joseph Boakai and Sierra Leone’s Julius Maada Bio, in State House, Nairobi.

On Sunday, May 10, 2026, Ruto detailed fruitful discussions with Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara at State House, Nairobi, seeking support for Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u in her candidature for the position of Judge of the International Criminal Court.

“At the multilateral level, we agreed to advance our cooperation. I sought President Ouattara’s support for Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u in her candidature for the position of Judge of the International Criminal Court,” Ruto stated.

ICC election

His campaign mounts as the election is set for December 2026 during the 25th Assembly of State Parties in New York.

Justice Ndung’u joins six other candidates, including Evelyn Ankumah (Ghana), Guénaël Mettraux (Switzerland), Rosette Muzigo-Morrison (Uganda), Deo John Nangela (Tanzania), Diana Carolina Olarte Bacares (Colombia) and Yoshimitsu Yamauchi (Japan). 

The Lady Justice is among the founding judges of Kenya’s Supreme Court and also the principal architect of Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act, a law that has significantly transformed protection for survivors of gender-based violence. 

Meanwhile, based on her criminal law portfolio, Justice Ndung’u is listed under Category A, which comprises judges who are competent in criminal law and criminal procedures.

Tracking down her career, Justice Ndung’u has authored and participated in landmark judicial orders that have significantly shaped the country’s policies, making her not just qualified but exceptional.

If elected, Justice Ndung’u will be the second Kenyan to join the ICC bench, after Judge Joyce Aluoch, who served in The Hague from 2009 to 2018.