Editor's Review

  • Nelson Havi has said Senior Counsel Fred Ngatia could be Kenya’s next Chief Justice.

Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi has said Senior Counsel Fred Ngatia could be Kenya’s next Chief Justice.

Reacting to the list of 13 legal experts who expressed interest in the job, Havi noted that he’ll not be surprised if the Senior Counsel Ngatia is recommended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to take over the plum job.

On the position of Supreme Court Judge, Havi noted that Justice William Ouko; the current Court of Appeal President could emerge victorious.

“Mr Justice Ngatia Fredrick SC, Chief Justice, and Mr Justice William Ouko, Judge of the Supreme Court will not be an unexpected recommendation by the Judicial Service Commission in view of those who have offered to serve in the two vacant offices,” he tweeted.


Fred Ngatia is a respected legal scholar in the country. He represented President Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2013 and 2017 presidential election petitions.

Other candidates believed to be frontrunners in the race include; former Director of Public Prosecutions Philip Murgor, Lady Justice Martha Koome and Justice D.K. Marete.

Many were hoping to see members of the Supreme Court bench led by Lady Justice Philomena Mwilu among the applicants, but not none of them applied for the job.

The move to shy away from the post means that Justice Mwilu will have to hand over once a new CJ is appointed.