By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 14 May 2026 - When President William Ruto took to the diplomatic stage during the Africa Forward Summit, his mission stretched beyond regional politics and economic partnerships.
Behind the scenes, Kenya had begun an intense international campaign to secure a coveted seat at the International Criminal Court for Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung'u.
The summit became an important platform for Nairobi’s quiet but calculated diplomatic offensive. Ruto reportedly introduced Justice Ndung’u to several African and international leaders, seeking political backing ahead of the ICC elections scheduled for 2026. To Kenya, her candidature is not merely about winning an international judicial post. It is also about influence, image rehabilitation and reaffirming the country’s place within the global justice system.
Justice Ndung’u’s nomination comes after a rigorous local selection process overseen by Chief Justice Martha Koome. Kenyan judicial officials say the process was designed to identify a jurist with both international standing and deep experience in constitutional and criminal law.
Her credentials are difficult to ignore. A judge of Kenya’s Supreme Court, Ndung’u has long been associated with progressive legal reform, particularly on women’s rights and sexual violence legislation. Before joining the judiciary, she played a central role in championing Kenya’s landmark Sexual Offences Act, legislation that transformed the country’s legal response to gender-based violence.
But Kenya’s aggressive support for her candidacy also reflects the country’s evolving relationship with the ICC itself.
For years, the ICC occupied a politically explosive place in Kenyan politics. Cases arising from the 2007–08 post-election violence brought several senior Kenyan politicians before the Hague-based court, including Ruto himself and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Both men consistently denied wrongdoing, and the cases eventually collapsed because of insufficient evidence and witness-related challenges.
At the height of those proceedings, sections of Kenya’s political establishment portrayed the ICC as biased against African leaders. Relations between Nairobi and the court became strained, feeding wider African Union criticism that the institution disproportionately targeted the continent.
Yet Kenya never withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. Instead, successive governments maintained formal membership while simultaneously pushing for reforms and greater fairness within the international justice system.
That history explains why Ruto’s current endorsement of Justice Ndung’u carries considerable symbolic weight.
While launching her campaign, the President sought to frame Kenya as a committed supporter of international justice despite its complicated past with the Hague-based court.
“We remain loyal to the principles of the Rome Statute, particularly its impartiality, commitment to fair trials and development of sound jurisprudence,” Ruto said, as he formally backed Justice Ndung’u’s candidature.
In another carefully worded endorsement, Ruto described the Supreme Court judge as “an accomplished jurist whose integrity, experience and commitment to justice make her exceptionally qualified to serve at the ICC.”
His remarks appeared deliberately crafted to signal that Kenya now wants to position itself not as a critic standing outside the system, but as an active participant helping shape it from within.
Analysts say supporting Ndung’u’s bid allows Kenya to advance several objectives at once.
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First, it gives Nairobi an opportunity to demonstrate renewed confidence in international legal institutions after years of tension with the ICC. By fielding one of its most respected judges, Kenya is effectively arguing that African states should not merely appear before international courts as defendants, but should also occupy positions of authority within them.
Second, the campaign strengthens Kenya’s diplomatic profile across Africa and beyond. ICC elections are heavily influenced by international alliances, regional voting blocs and reciprocal political support. Ruto’s lobbying efforts at high-level gatherings suggest Kenya is treating the campaign as a serious foreign policy priority.
Third, Justice Ndung’u’s candidacy aligns with broader calls for increased African representation in global governance institutions. African countries have repeatedly argued that international bodies often lack sufficient regional balance despite the continent’s significant stake in international peace and justice matters.
For many supporters, Ndung’u also represents a generation of African jurists seeking to redefine how international justice engages with the continent. Her defenders say she combines legal independence with practical understanding of African constitutional realities — qualities they believe are increasingly necessary at the ICC.
Still, her path to election may not be straightforward.
ICC contests are often shaped as much by geopolitics as by merit. Regional negotiations, diplomatic trade-offs and competition among candidate states can significantly influence outcomes. Kenya will therefore need sustained lobbying across Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia to secure enough votes.
Questions may also emerge about whether Kenya’s own historical tensions with the ICC could complicate perceptions of its campaign. Some critics may view Nairobi’s push as politically strategic rather than purely institutional.
But supporters argue that such concerns overlook a larger point: countries with difficult experiences at international courts can still contribute constructively to strengthening them.
For Kenya, the campaign around Justice Ndung’u ultimately appears to represent something larger than one judicial appointment. It is an attempt to reshape the country’s international legal identity — from a state once associated with courtroom confrontation at The Hague to one seeking influence within the very institution that once placed its leaders under scrutiny.
Whether that diplomatic gamble succeeds will become clearer when ICC member states cast their votes in 2026. For now, Kenya is making one message unmistakably clear: Justice Njoki Ndung’u is not simply Nairobi’s candidate — she is the face of the country’s renewed engagement with international justice.
Kenya campaigns for Lady Justice Njoki Ndung’u to join International Criminal Court