KENYA CELEBRATES HISTORIC INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE WIN

Kenya is celebrating a major milestone after internationally acclaimed legal scholar Professor Phoebe Nyawade Okowa was elected as a Judge of the International Court of Justice [ICJ].

Her election is being praised as a historic diplomatic win and a powerful affirmation of Kenya’s growing influence in global justice.

Professor Okowa was born on 1 January 1965 in Kericho county, and her academic journey began with exceptional achievement in 1987.

She graduated with first class honors in law from the University of Nairobi, becoming the first woman in the faculty’s history to attain that distinction. She later joined Oxford University for her Bachelor of Civil Law, supported by a foreign and commonwealth office scholarship.

She proceeded to earn her Doctor of Philosophy supervised by the renowned Professor Sir Ian Brownlie. Her academic and professional footprint spans continent.

She is a professor of public international law and director of graduate studies at Queen Mary university London, and has taught at leading institutions across Europe. She is also an advocate of the high court of Kenya and has represented governments and international organizations in high-level global legal forums. Okowa has further served as a member of the permanent court of arbitration in the Hague.

In 2021, she was elected to the United Nations international law commission by the government of Kenya becoming one of the first African women to hold the position. Her scholarship and legal expertise focus on state responsibility, environmental law and transboundary harm, areas that have shaped global policy and academic discourse.

Her election to the ICJ took place on 12 november2025, after voting by both the un general assembly and the un security council. She secured 106 votes in the general assembly in the final round, filling the vacancy previously held by judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf. She is set to serve until February 2027, completing the remainder of the term.

Speaking about her vision to the world court, professor okowa has emphasized the need for modernization and efficiency. She noted that ‘many states are simply frustrated by the slow pace of proceedings, with some cases taking as long as a decade before a final judgement is delivered. 

She has also underscored her commitment to improving the courts technological systems, including electronic filing to make justice processes faster and more accessible.

Reflecting on her Kenyan upbringing.she said, ’I was born and educated in Kenya like most Kenyan families then and now, the great concern was always education. Education is crucial; it opens doors for playing your full roles in the society.’’

Her appointment has been warmly welcomed by national leaders. Prime cabinet secretary musalia Mudavadi described the achievement as ‘a proud moment for Kenya and Africa, ’adding that it ‘reinforces the need for diversity, equality and representation in international instutions.

Professor okowa’s elevation to the ICJ is not only a personal triumph but a national one.as she takes her seat on the world’s highest court; Kenya stands at a historic moment-with one of its own helping steer the direction of international justice.