Chief Justice Koome Launches Judiciary’s 2025-2029 Electoral Justice Roadmap and Hands Over Leadership to Justice Njoki Ndung’u
Quote from Lawyer on July 22, 2025, 6:01 amOn July 21, 2025, Chief Justice Martha Koome officially launched the Judiciary Committee on Elections (JCE) Operational Plan for 2025-2029, marking a significant step in preparing Kenya’s Judiciary for the 2027 General Election. The event, held in Nairobi, also saw the formal transition of JCE leadership from outgoing chair, Supreme Court Justice Mohammed Ibrahim, to incoming chair, Supreme Court Justice Njoki Ndung’u. The launch and handover underscored the Judiciary’s commitment to strengthening electoral justice and safeguarding Kenya’s democratic processes.
The 2025-2029 Operational Plan serves as a comprehensive roadmap for managing electoral disputes, outlining strategies for judicial training, resource allocation, infrastructure development, and timelines for resolving election petitions. Chief Justice Koome emphasized that the plan is designed to ensure fair, efficient, and independent adjudication of electoral disputes during the 2027 election cycle. She highlighted the Judiciary’s readiness to uphold constitutional principles and foster public confidence in the judicial system. The plan builds on the JCE’s decade-long efforts, established in August 2015, to provide a sustainable mechanism for handling election-related disputes.
Koome described the leadership transition as a moment of both continuity and renewal, symbolizing the Judiciary’s evolving role in defending democracy. She praised the outgoing JCE committee for its transformative work in strengthening electoral dispute resolution mechanisms, noting that their efforts have positioned Kenya’s Judiciary as a model for other African nations, such as Zambia and Malawi. The Chief Justice also acknowledged the JCE’s proactive engagement with the public to counter disinformation and build trust in the Judiciary’s handling of electoral matters.
Justice Njoki Ndung’u, now at the helm of the JCE, brings extensive experience to the role. A Supreme Court judge and advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Ndung’u holds a Master’s in Law degree in Human Rights and Civil Liberties and a Diploma in Women’s Rights. Her career spans roles as a State Counsel, a Programme Officer at the Institute for Education in Democracy, a National Protection Officer at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and a Political Analyst in Conflict Management at the African Union. Ndung’u also served as a member of the Pan-African Parliament and the 9th Parliament of Kenya, contributing to key legislative committees and the drafting of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution. She is the architect of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006 and amendments to the Employment Act and Political Parties Act, promoting maternity and paternity leave and affirmative action for women in politics.
During the event, Koome reiterated the importance of a well-prepared and independent Judiciary in safeguarding Kenya’s democracy. She called on stakeholders, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Law Society of Kenya, civil society groups, and development partners, to collaborate in ensuring electoral justice. The Chief Justice stressed that democratic elections require shared responsibility and urged timely legal reforms to support the Judiciary’s preparedness. Justice Ndung’u echoed this sentiment, noting that late changes to electoral laws can hinder effective dispute resolution.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya, speaking at the event, emphasized the Operational Plan’s focus on building internal capacity, fostering inter-agency coordination, and deepening public trust. She described the Judiciary as anticipatory rather than reactive, investing in institutional excellence to deliver credible electoral dispute resolution. Mokaya highlighted the plan’s role in addressing systemic challenges, such as the need for continuous training for judicial officers and robust infrastructure to handle election petitions efficiently.
The launch follows Koome’s recent presiding over the swearing-in of the new IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon and six commissioners on July 11, 2025. During that ceremony, she urged the IEBC to rebuild public trust and deliver credible elections, warning that the erosion of confidence in electoral institutions poses a significant threat to democracy. Koome’s remarks at the JCE launch reinforced this message, emphasizing that the Judiciary’s role in electoral justice is critical to maintaining public faith in democratic processes.
The 2025-2029 Operational Plan includes specific initiatives to enhance the Judiciary’s capacity, such as training judicial officers through the Judiciary Training Institute, mobilizing resources, and developing work plans to streamline election dispute resolution. Koome assured the incoming JCE committee of the Judiciary leadership’s full support in implementing these initiatives, underscoring the institution’s commitment to fairness, efficiency, and integrity.
The event also highlighted the Judiciary’s broader achievements, including a 99 percent case clearance rate in 2024 and the expansion of magistrate courts to improve access to justice. However, Koome acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as heavy caseloads and resource constraints, which the Operational Plan aims to address through strategic planning and innovation.
As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, the JCE, under Justice Ndung’u’s leadership, is poised to play a pivotal role in ensuring electoral justice. The Operational Plan sets a clear framework for defending the integrity of the electoral process, fostering public confidence, and reinforcing the Judiciary’s reputation as a credible and impartial institution both in Kenya and across the continent.
On July 21, 2025, Chief Justice Martha Koome officially launched the Judiciary Committee on Elections (JCE) Operational Plan for 2025-2029, marking a significant step in preparing Kenya’s Judiciary for the 2027 General Election. The event, held in Nairobi, also saw the formal transition of JCE leadership from outgoing chair, Supreme Court Justice Mohammed Ibrahim, to incoming chair, Supreme Court Justice Njoki Ndung’u. The launch and handover underscored the Judiciary’s commitment to strengthening electoral justice and safeguarding Kenya’s democratic processes.
The 2025-2029 Operational Plan serves as a comprehensive roadmap for managing electoral disputes, outlining strategies for judicial training, resource allocation, infrastructure development, and timelines for resolving election petitions. Chief Justice Koome emphasized that the plan is designed to ensure fair, efficient, and independent adjudication of electoral disputes during the 2027 election cycle. She highlighted the Judiciary’s readiness to uphold constitutional principles and foster public confidence in the judicial system. The plan builds on the JCE’s decade-long efforts, established in August 2015, to provide a sustainable mechanism for handling election-related disputes.
Koome described the leadership transition as a moment of both continuity and renewal, symbolizing the Judiciary’s evolving role in defending democracy. She praised the outgoing JCE committee for its transformative work in strengthening electoral dispute resolution mechanisms, noting that their efforts have positioned Kenya’s Judiciary as a model for other African nations, such as Zambia and Malawi. The Chief Justice also acknowledged the JCE’s proactive engagement with the public to counter disinformation and build trust in the Judiciary’s handling of electoral matters.
Justice Njoki Ndung’u, now at the helm of the JCE, brings extensive experience to the role. A Supreme Court judge and advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Ndung’u holds a Master’s in Law degree in Human Rights and Civil Liberties and a Diploma in Women’s Rights. Her career spans roles as a State Counsel, a Programme Officer at the Institute for Education in Democracy, a National Protection Officer at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and a Political Analyst in Conflict Management at the African Union. Ndung’u also served as a member of the Pan-African Parliament and the 9th Parliament of Kenya, contributing to key legislative committees and the drafting of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution. She is the architect of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006 and amendments to the Employment Act and Political Parties Act, promoting maternity and paternity leave and affirmative action for women in politics.
During the event, Koome reiterated the importance of a well-prepared and independent Judiciary in safeguarding Kenya’s democracy. She called on stakeholders, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Law Society of Kenya, civil society groups, and development partners, to collaborate in ensuring electoral justice. The Chief Justice stressed that democratic elections require shared responsibility and urged timely legal reforms to support the Judiciary’s preparedness. Justice Ndung’u echoed this sentiment, noting that late changes to electoral laws can hinder effective dispute resolution.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya, speaking at the event, emphasized the Operational Plan’s focus on building internal capacity, fostering inter-agency coordination, and deepening public trust. She described the Judiciary as anticipatory rather than reactive, investing in institutional excellence to deliver credible electoral dispute resolution. Mokaya highlighted the plan’s role in addressing systemic challenges, such as the need for continuous training for judicial officers and robust infrastructure to handle election petitions efficiently.
The launch follows Koome’s recent presiding over the swearing-in of the new IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon and six commissioners on July 11, 2025. During that ceremony, she urged the IEBC to rebuild public trust and deliver credible elections, warning that the erosion of confidence in electoral institutions poses a significant threat to democracy. Koome’s remarks at the JCE launch reinforced this message, emphasizing that the Judiciary’s role in electoral justice is critical to maintaining public faith in democratic processes.
The 2025-2029 Operational Plan includes specific initiatives to enhance the Judiciary’s capacity, such as training judicial officers through the Judiciary Training Institute, mobilizing resources, and developing work plans to streamline election dispute resolution. Koome assured the incoming JCE committee of the Judiciary leadership’s full support in implementing these initiatives, underscoring the institution’s commitment to fairness, efficiency, and integrity.
The event also highlighted the Judiciary’s broader achievements, including a 99 percent case clearance rate in 2024 and the expansion of magistrate courts to improve access to justice. However, Koome acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as heavy caseloads and resource constraints, which the Operational Plan aims to address through strategic planning and innovation.
As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, the JCE, under Justice Ndung’u’s leadership, is poised to play a pivotal role in ensuring electoral justice. The Operational Plan sets a clear framework for defending the integrity of the electoral process, fostering public confidence, and reinforcing the Judiciary’s reputation as a credible and impartial institution both in Kenya and across the continent.