The Chief Justice is the Head of the Judiciary assisted by the Deputy Chief Justice. The Chief Justice is the President of the Supreme Court and links the Judiciary to other arms of Government.
The Chief Justice assigns duties to the Deputy Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Principal Judge of the High Court and the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary.
He gives an annual report to the nation on the state of the Judiciary and on the administration of justice; and causes the report to be published in theΒ Gazette, and a copy thereof sent, under the hand of the Chief Justice, to each of the two Clerks of the two Houses of Parliament for it to be placed before the respective Houses for debate and adoption.
The Chief Justice is also the chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The Chief Justice shall hold office for a maximum of ten years or until retiring after attaining sixty five (65) years, whichever is the earlier.
List of all Former Chief Justices in Kenya
| S/N | Name of Chief Justice | Birth⦠| Date when appointed | Date when retired | Appointing officer |
| 1 | Sir Robert Hamilton | (1867β1944) | 1906 | 1920 | Sadler |
| 1 | Sir Jacob Barth | (1871β1941) | 1920 | 1934 | Northey |
| 2 | Sir Joseph Sheridan | (1882β1964) | 1934 | 1946 | Byrne |
| 3 | Sir Barclay Nihill[6] | (1892β1975) | 1946 | 1951 | Mitchell |
| 4 | Sir Horace Hearne[7] | (1892β1962) | 1951 | 1954 | Mitchell |
| 5 | Sir Kenneth OβConnor[8] | (1896β1985) | 1954 | 1957 | Baring |
| 6 | Sir Ronald Sinclair | (1903β1996) | 1957 | 1963 | Baring |
| 7 | Sir John Ainley | (1906β1992) | 1963 | 1963 | MacDonald |
| 1 | Sir John Ainley | (1906β1992) | 1963 | 1964 | MacDonald |
| 1 | Sir John Ainley | (1906β1992) | 1964 | 1968 | Jomo Kenyatta |
| 2 | Kitili Mwendwa | (1929β1985) | 1968 | 1971 | Jomo Kenyatta |
| 3 | Sir James Wicks | (1901β1989) | 1971 | 1982 | Jomo Kenyatta |
| 4 | Sir Alfred Simpson | (1914β2003) | 1982 | 1985 | Daniel Moi |
| 5 | Chunilal Madan | (1912β1989) | 1985 | 1986 | Daniel Moi |
| 6 | Cecil Miller | (1916β1989) | 1986 | 1989 | Daniel Moi |
| 7 | Allan Hancox | (1932β2013) | 1989 | 1993 | Daniel Moi |
| 8 | Fred Apaloo | (1921β2000) | 1993 | 1994 | Daniel Moi |
| 9 | Abdul Majid Cockar | (1923β2016) | 1994 | 1997 | Daniel Moi |
| 10 | Zachaeus Chesoni | (1936β1999) | 1997 | 1999 | Daniel Moi |
| 11 | Bernard Chunga | (1950β) | 1999 | 2003 | Daniel Moi |
| 12 | Johnson Gicheru | Died in 2020 | 2003 | 2011 | Mwai Kibaki |
| 13 | Willy Mutunga | (1947β) | 2011 | 2016 | Mwai Kibaki |
| 14 | David Maraga | (1951β) | 2016 | 2021 | Uhuru Kenyatta |
