Chief Justices of Kenya- List of all persons who have served as Chief Justices.

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 the 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 (1867–1944) 1906 1920 Sadler
1 Sir Jacob Barth (1871–1941) 1920 1934 Northey
2 Sir Joseph Sheridan (1882–1964) 1934 1946 Byrne
3 Sir Barclay Nihill[6] (1892–1975) 1946 1951 Mitchell
4 Sir Horace Hearne[7] (1892–1962) 1951 1954 Mitchell
5 Sir Kenneth O’Connor[8] (1896–1985) 1954 1957 Baring
6 Sir Ronald Sinclair (1903–1996) 1957 1963 Baring
7 Sir John Ainley (1906–1992) 1963 1963 MacDonald
1 Sir John Ainley (1906–1992) 1963 1964 MacDonald
1 Sir John Ainley (1906–1992) 1964 1968 Jomo Kenyatta
2 Kitili Mwendwa (1929–1985) 1968 1971 Jomo Kenyatta
3 Sir James Wicks (1901–1989) 1971 1982 Jomo Kenyatta
4 Sir Alfred Simpson (1914–2003) 1982 1985 Daniel Moi
5 Chunilal Madan (1912–1989) 1985 1986 Daniel Moi
6 Cecil Miller (1916–1989) 1986 1989 Daniel Moi
7 Allan Hancox (1932–2013) 1989 1993 Daniel Moi
8 Fred Apaloo (1921–2000) 1993 1994 Daniel Moi
9 Abdul Majid Cockar (1923–2016) 1994 1997 Daniel Moi
10 Zachaeus Chesoni (1936–1999) 1997 1999 Daniel Moi
11 Bernard Chunga (1950–) 1999 2003 Daniel Moi
12 Johnson Gicheru Died in 2020 2003 2011 Mwai Kibaki
13 Willy Mutunga (1947–) 2011 2016 Mwai Kibaki
14 David Maraga (1951–) 2016 2021 Uhuru Kenyatta
Exit mobile version