Kenya has formally launched a campaign for the full term of Prof Phoebe Okowa as a judge of the International Court of Justice, providing another testing period for Nairobi’s diplomats.
The launch, held in Nairobi, follows Prof Okowa’s election in November 2025 to the ICJ, where she succeeded former court president Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf of Somalia who had resigned before completion of his term. Her current tenure runs until 2027, and Kenya is now seeking her re-election for the 2027–2036 term.
Speaking at the event, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei described the candidature as a source of national pride and a reaffirmation of Kenya’s belief in a rules-based international order.
“Kenya is proud to formally launch the candidature of Judge Phoebe Okowa for a full term at the International Court of Justice. Her re-election is not just a win for Kenya; it is a commitment to a fair, diverse and rules-based international system,” PS Sing’Oei said.
Prof Okowa’s presence on the ICJ bench, he added, reflects decades of service to international law as a scholar, practitioner and adviser to states, as well as the core qualities that lie at the heart of the court’s mandate: independence, intellectual depth and fidelity to the law.
“This reception serves a dual purpose: first, to celebrate an achievement already secured, and second, to signal Kenya’s confidence and commitment as we formally launch Judge Okowa’s candidature for a full term in the court,” he said.
He noted that the occasion comes at a time when the international legal order is under strain, underscoring the importance of credible global judicial institutions.
“At a time of profound global uncertainty, strong, independent and credible international courts matter even more,” he said.
Prof Okowa thanked United Nations member states for their confidence in electing her to what she described as an institution central to global peace and security.
“Today is a day of gratitude to UN member states for their confidence in me and for electing me to an institution that continues to play an important role in our shared peace and security,” she said.
She described the Nairobi launch as deeply personal, noting that the city is where the formative influences that shaped her career as an international lawyer first developed.
“It is a day of immense personal pride to launch this campaign for a full nine-year term in my country’s capital, before my friends and family,” she said.
A distinguished Kenyan international lawyer and jurist, Prof Okowa’s career spans academia, legal practice and global judicial service.
She previously made history as the first African woman to serve on the International Law Commission, where she played a key role in the development and codification of international legal norms. Her work has been consulted by governments, international organisations, and legal practitioners across the globe.
With more than three decades of university teaching, Prof Okowa has trained generations of lawyers while maintaining an active advisory practice for governments. She has also served as counsel before the ICJ in some of its most consequential cases, giving her rare insight into the court’s jurisprudence from both the bar and the bench.
