Justice Gatembu Kairu has been elected President of the Court of Appeal after securing 26 of the 41 votes cast on Monday in a tightly contested internal election held by appellate judges.
He takes over from Justice Daniel Musinga, whose term ended on 24 May 2026.
Justice Kairu beat Lady Justice Lydia Achode, Justice Patrick Kiage, and Lady Justice Agnes Murgor, who were also eying the position. In his new role, the judge will oversee the management of appeals, coordinate the work of appellate judges, and play a central role in ensuring the efficiency of the court system.
Born in July 1960, Justice Kairu brings more than four decades of legal experience spanning academia, private practice, and judicial service. He holds a Master of Laws from Boston University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi, and a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.
Before joining the Judiciary in 2012 as a Court of Appeal judge following a Judicial Service Commission recruitment process, he worked in private practice, including at Hamilton Harrison & Mathews Advocates. He later co-founded Kairu & McCourt Advocates, where he was a partner until 2009, before moving into arbitration and mediation.
Justice Kairu also taught at the University of Nairobi School of Law, adding an academic dimension to a career largely grounded in litigation and dispute resolution.
His election places him in charge of a court whose decisions play a significant role in Kenya’s legal system, at a time when public attention is closely focused on how the courts handle cases and how quickly appeals are resolved.
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