JSC commences interviews for positions of Judge of Environment and land court
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, March 24, 2026The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has officially commenced interviews for candidates shortlisted for appointment as judges of the Environment and Land Court in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to handle land and environmental disputes.
Confirming the commencement of the exercise on their social media handles on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the Judicial Service Commission has said that the recruitment exercise intends to fill ten vacant posts in the specialised court that deals with cases associated with land, environment, and natural resources.
“The Judicial Service Commission will this morning commence interviews for the position of Judge of the Environment and Land Court. The exercise seeks to fill ten vacant positions. Seven candidates are scheduled to appear before the Commission today,” JSC stated.
The Commission reported that seven candidates will be presented to the panel on the initial day of the interview. The sessions shall gauge the legal knowledge of the candidates, their professionalism and their ability to be on a bench.
The Environment and Land Court is a pillar in the justice system of Kenya, especially considering the centrality of land issues in the socio-economic and political environment of Kenya. The court is dealing with the issues of land ownership, environmental conservation and land use conflicts, and it is important that judges who are to work on the case are selected and qualified.
JSC, which is required to hire and penalise the judicial officers, has been focusing on transparency and merit in the recruitment process that is being done. The interviews will be done in the open air, which is in accordance with the principles of accountability and openness of the Commission in the appointment of judges.
The successful candidates will be anticipated to assist in cutting down the case backlogs and increasing accessibility to justice, particularly in land-related cases that tend to affect both the community and investors.
50 shortlisted candidates to be interviewed
The interviewing process will be extended to the next few days until all the shortlisted candidates are evaluated and the final choices made.
Among the shortlisted candidates scheduled for interviews for the position of Judge of the Environment and Land Court, based on the official interview schedule released by the Judicial Service Commission, are Dr Alice Wambui Macharia, Lilian Amere Machio and Carolyn Nyakiambori Makana
These names form part of the broader list of 50 candidates shortlisted by the Commission from over 240 applicants, out of whom only ten will eventually be appointed to the bench.