President William Ruto has officially launched the candidature of Justice Njoki Ndung’u for election as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC), backing the Supreme Court judge as one of Kenya’s foremost constitutional reformers and legal minds. Justice Ndung’u has been described as part of a generation that helped guide Kenya through one of the country’s most consequential democratic transitions. If elected, Justice Ndung’u will serve at the Hague-based court from 2027 to 2036. The President pointed to her 15 years of service at the Supreme Court and her long-standing contribution to constitutionalism, gender justice and protection of vulnerable groups. He stated that her candidature reflects Kenya’s commitment to a rules-based international order and judicial independence. 

Currently, other than serving as a judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya, Justice Ndung’u is also an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. At the Supreme Court, she heads the governance and regulatory affairs portfolio, which focuses on strengthening court administration, reviewing rules and regulations, and ensuring consistency in the management of the apex court. 

She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Human Rights and Civil Liberties as well as a Diploma in Women’s Rights. Before joining the bench, she worked as State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General and as a Programme Officer at the Institute for Education in Democracy. She also served as a National Protection Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and as a Political Analyst in Conflict Management at the African Union. 

She rose to national prominence during her tenure as a nominated Member of Parliament in Kenya’s Ninth Parliament, where she served in the Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution. She also served as a member of the Pan-African Parliament. Justice Ndung’u is widely recognised as the architect of the Sexual Offences Act, 2006, one of Kenya’s landmark laws on sexual and gender-based violence. She also spearheaded amendments to the Employment Act, introducing paid maternity and paternity leave and pushed for affirmative action measures for women through reforms to the Political Parties Act. 

Her role in Kenya’s constitutional transformation remains one of the defining aspects of her career. She served as a member of the Committee of Experts that drafted the 2010 Constitution, helping shape a constitutional framework anchored on accountability, inclusion, institutional checks and democratic renewal.  

Over the years, Justice Ndung’u has received both local and international recognition for her contribution to law and human rights. In 2006, she was named UN Person of the Year in Kenya and also received the International Commission of Jurists’ Jurist of the Year Award. That same year, she was awarded the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) and later the Chief of the Burning Spear (CBS) honours for distinguished public service. Her candidature comes at a time when African representation within international justice institutions continues to feature prominently in global discussions around accountability, conflict, democratic transition and peacebuilding.