Chief Justice Martha Koome launched her book Courting Courage in a colourful ceremony on Friday night that brought together prominent figures from Kenya’s judicial and legal circles. The audience also included heroes and heroines of justice and women's liberation.
The event was graced by the former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who delivered a keynote address emphasising the importance of hard work, honesty, and humility in leadership.
In the book by Moran Publishers, Justice Koome reflects on her extraordinary journey, from her humble beginnings in a small village in Meru to becoming Kenya’s first female Chief Justice.
She shared that the book is more than a simple account of events; it serves as a response to the questions she has faced throughout her career, particularly those asked by many who have watched her rise from an ordinary lawyer to one of the most influential figures in Kenya’s judicial history.
"I wanted to tell my story. One that is deeply intertwined with my mother’s story. She was a woman who raised nine children, struggling to provide for us, to clothe us, and to ensure we went to school," Justice Koome said.
Courting Courage, the autobiography of Martha Koome, Kenya’s first female Chief Justice, pictured at the Nation Centre on February 18, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
Justice Koome made history in May 2021 when she was appointed Kenya's first female Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court.
Before this, she had served as a judge at the High Court and was later elevated in 2012 to the Court of Appeal.
She explained that the idea for the book emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic, a time when she found herself reflecting on her journey.
“I felt the need to share my story and the struggles I encountered along the way, through school, university, marriage, and even during the country's second liberation struggle in the 1990s,” she said.
Justice Koome recalled getting married at the young age of 21 and the challenges of balancing her studies at university while raising her child and fulfilling her responsibilities as a wife. Despite these obstacles, she was determined to succeed.
“Growing up in rural Meru, I never imagined that one day I would become a symbol of justice, let alone the first woman to hold the title of Chief Justice in Kenya. But that’s the power of dreams. They are not limited by where we start, only by where we are willing to go," she added.
Reflecting on her university experience, she noted that a degree is merely a tool, one that should be used to accomplish greater things.
“This autobiography is more than just a memoir. It is a manual for perseverance, a masterclass in servant leadership, and a beacon for those navigating the shadows of doubt, particularly in societies where women are still expected to know their 'place,” she said.
She said Courting Courage is not just a story of her rise in the legal profession, but also a testament to the resilience, strength, and dedication of women who strive to break barriers and shape history.
Present at the event were judges, former Law Society of Kenya presidents Ahmednasir Abdullahi, Nelson Havi, and Paul Muite, among others.
Senior Counsel Bar chairman Philip Murgor, his predecessor Fred Ojiambo, former nominated MP Zipporah Kittonyi, retired judges Effie Owour and Joyce Aluoch, former Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi, and former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza were also in attendance. The leadership of Moran Publishers was also represented.
The Nation exclusively serialised the book in a three-part series that started on Thursday and ended on Saturday.
You may read the serialisations here
