Court of Appeal judge Mohamed Warsame has been nominated for appointment to the Supreme Court, placing him on course for elevation to Kenya’s highest court following a recruitment exercise by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The nomination follows a vacancy that arose in the Supreme Court after the death of Justice Mohammed Kadhar Ibrahim in December 2025. The JSC subsequently initiated a selection process that included public advertisement, shortlisting and interviews.
Justice Warsame emerged as the leading candidate after a two-day interview process held in Nairobi. Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs the commission, said he met the constitutional threshold required for appointment to the apex court.
“The commission is fully satisfied that Hon Justice Warsame demonstrated the qualities that the Constitution demands of a judge of the Supreme Court – professional competence, unimpeachable integrity, fairness, sound judgement, a genuine and demonstrable commitment to the rule of law and public service,” she said.
She added that his background made him particularly suited for the role. “The nominee’s depth of legal knowledge and breadth of life experience makes him suited to contribute meaningfully to the development of Kenya’s jurisprudence at the highest level,” Koome noted.
Warsame is currently serving at the Court of Appeal, a position he has held since 2012 when he was elevated from the High Court. He first joined the High Court in 2003, serving across the Commercial, Criminal and Judicial Review divisions, where he built a reputation for efficiency and handling a broad range of complex cases.
Before joining the Bench, he worked as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya after obtaining his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a Postgraduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law.
- Supreme Court judge Mohammed Ibrahim dies at 69
- High Court Judge David Majanja dies suddenly in Nairobi
- Magistrate Monica Kivuti dies after courtroom gun attack
Over the years, he has also taken on administrative responsibilities within the Judiciary. He once chaired the Community Service and Probation Committee, overseeing the release of more than 7,000 petty offenders as part of efforts to promote non-custodial sentencing and ease prison congestion.
In 2013, his peers elected him to represent Court of Appeal judges at the JSC under Article 171(2)(c) of the Constitution. During that period, he served on both the Finance and Administration Committee and the Human Resource Committee.
During his interview on Wednesday, Warsame also spoke about his post-judicial aspirations, saying he could consider contesting the Mandera gubernatorial seat after retirement if urged by constituents. He stressed that such ambitions would not interfere with his judicial duties.
“I have served under four Chief Justices without any conflict,” he said, attributing his experience to working in collegial courts and adding that he brings “jurisprudential leadership, institutional leadership and perspective” to judicial work.
Following his nomination, the judge’s name will be sent to President William Ruto, who will formally appoint him to the Supreme Court as required by Article 166(1)(a) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@nairobilawmonthly.com, and to advertise with us, call +254715061658 anytime of the day
