President William Ruto formally presented Lady Justice Njoki Ndung’u’s candidature for the position of judge at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday, launching the bid at State House Nairobi and calling it both a national endorsement and an African strategic priority. “Kenya stands before the international community not merely to endorse a candidature, but to strengthen the cause of international justice,” Ruto said. “Africa cannot remain merely the subject of international justice. Africa must help shape international justice.”
Justice Ndung’u brings a substantial reform record to the bid. She was a member of the Committee of Experts that drafted Kenya’s 2010 Constitution following the post-election crisis, and she led the reforms that produced the Sexual Offences Act of 2006, with a sustained focus on survivor-centred justice and sexual and gender-based violence. She also contributed to the Maputo Protocol, a foundational African human rights instrument for women’s rights. Ruto framed her experience prosecuting serious crimes, rebuilding constitutional order, and advancing survivor-centred justice as “exceptionally well-suited” for the ICC role.
For the Kenyan diaspora — and for the wider African civil society community tracking the global justice architecture — the candidature is one of the more significant African judicial nominations in recent years. Ruto pledged full diplomatic support and campaign resources for the bid. The ICC election is scheduled for late 2026. The Kenyan position will also test the country’s diplomatic capital at the United Nations and within the African Union, where its candidate must compete against nominations from across the continent and beyond.
Sources: Capital FM Kenya, May 13, 2026; Tuko Kenya; State House.