Justice Gatembu Kairu has been elected the new President of the Court of Appeal after emerging victorious in the just-concluded election, taking over the leadership of Kenya’s second-highest court.
The Judiciary announced on Monday, June 22, that Kairu garnered 26 of the 41 votes cast, defeating Lady Justice Lydia Achode, Justice Patrick Kiage and Lady Justice Agnes Murgor.
As President of the Court of Appeal, Kairu will be responsible for providing administrative and judicial leadership to the appellate court while overseeing its operations across the country.
New Court of Appeal President Justice Gatembu Kairu. Photo: Courtesy.
Born in July 1960, Kairu brings decades of experience in legal practice, academia, arbitration, mediation and judicial service.
He holds a Master of Laws degree from Boston University, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.
Before joining the Bench, Kairu built an extensive career in private legal practice.
He began as a Legal Assistant at Hamilton Harrison & Mathews Advocates before working as an associate at Kimani Kairu & Company Advocates.
In 1993, he co-founded Kairu & McCourt Advocates, where he practised until 2009 before transitioning to full-time arbitration and mediation.
Kairu was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2012 following a competitive recruitment process conducted by the Judicial Service Commission.
Since then, he has played a key role in the development of appellate jurisprudence and judicial administration.
Beyond the courtroom, Kairu has contributed significantly to legal education, serving as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi School of Law since 1990.
He has taught courses including Alternative Dispute Resolution, Banking Law, Civil Procedure and Practice, the Law of Torts and the Law of International Institutions.
A trained mediator and arbitrator, Kairu has facilitated Alternative Dispute Resolution programmes in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Within the Judiciary, he has served on several committees and currently chairs the Integrated Court Management System Committee, which is spearheading judicial digitisation and institutional reforms.
