Justice Gatembu Kairu has been elected the new President of the Court of Appeal after securing a decisive victory in internal judicial elections held by judges of the appellate court.

According to an official statement issued by the Judiciary of Kenya on Monday, June 22, 2026, Justice Kairu garnered 26 votes out of 41 ballots cast, comfortably defeating his competitors in the closely watched internal contest.

The other candidates in the race were Lady Justice Lydia Achode, Justice Patrick Kiage, and Lady Justice Agnes Murgor.

“Justice Gatembu Kairu has won the just concluded elections as the new President of the Court of Appeal. He clinched 26 votes out of the 41 ballots cast. The other candidates were Lady Justice Lydia Achode, Justice Patrick Kiage and Lady Justice Agnes Murgor,” the Judiciary of Kenya wrote on X.

The position of President of the Court of Appeal is a key leadership office within Kenya’s judiciary, responsible for administrative oversight of the appellate court and coordination of its judicial functions. The office is filled by the election of judges of the Court of Appeal themselves, in line with constitutional provisions governing judicial leadership.

Justice Kairu succeeds the outgoing Court of Appeal President, Justice Daniel Musinga, whose tenure ended on May 24, 2026.

Justice Gatembu Kairu’s seasoned career

Justice Gatembu Kairu is a long-serving member of the appellate bench, having joined the Judiciary after a distinguished legal career in private practice, academia, and arbitration.

He holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from Boston University and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Nairobi, and is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Before joining the Judiciary in 2012 as a Judge of the Court of Appeal, he worked in private legal practice. Also, he lectured at the University of Nairobi School of Law, where he taught subjects including civil procedure, banking law, and alternative dispute resolution.

Within the Judiciary, he has served in various committees and contributed to judicial reforms, including initiatives aimed at improving case management systems.

Court of Appeal elections

The election of the Court of Appeal President is often viewed as a critical moment in the Judiciary’s internal governance, given the court’s central role in shaping legal precedent and handling high-stakes constitutional and electoral disputes.

The Judges of the Court of Appeal elected their new president on Monday, June 22, 2026, in a rare internal judicial election that was conducted through a secret ballot and overseen by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The use of IEBC in an internal judicial leadership election underscores the formal and structured nature of the process, which determines who will steer the Court of Appeal, Kenya’s second-highest court.