Kenya’s Phoebe Okowa Elected Judge of the International Court of Justice
Her appointment followed four rounds of voting, underscoring the global confidence in her legal expertise and Kenya’s growing influence in international law
Kenyan law scholar Professor Phoebe Okowa has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), one of the principal judicial organs of the United Nations
Prof. Okowa’s election took place on Wednesday through a vote by both the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. She will serve on the Court until February 5, 2027, completing the term left vacant by Judge Abdulqawi A. Yusuf, who resigned on September 30, 2025
Before her election, Prof. Okowa served in several distinguished international law roles, including as a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, Counsel for Namibia at the ICJ, Co-counsel for the International Trade Union Confederation, and Co-counsel for the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is also a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London
Her appointment followed four rounds of voting, underscoring the global confidence in her legal expertise and Kenya’s growing influence in international law
“This victory demonstrates confidence in Prof. Okowa’s judicial competence and Kenya’s standing. I commend our New York and Geneva teams for leading the charge,” said Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei following the announcement
Also read : Ruto Secures 13,000 Job Opportunities for Kenyan Youth in Qatar
The ICJ, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, consists of 15 judges elected to serve nine-year terms, with the possibility of re-election. Current members include Iwasawa Yuji (Japan), Julia Sebutinde (Uganda), Peter Tomka (Slovakia), Ronny Abraham (France), Xue Hanqin (China), Dalveer Bhandari (India), Georg Nolte (Germany), Hilary Charlesworth (Australia), Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (Brazil), Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo (Mexico), Sarah H. Cleveland (USA), Bogdan-Lucian Aurescu (Romania), Dire Tladi (South Africa), and Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud (Jordan)
Prof. Okowa’s election marks another milestone for Kenya on the global stage, reaffirming the country’s contribution to international jurisprudence and diplomacy
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
