Kenya's President Names Country's First Female Chief Justice

NAIROBI - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Martha Koome as the East African country's first woman chief justice and head of the judiciary.

The announcement was made Wednesday in a special Gazette Notice — an official publication for notifying the actions and decisions of the government — hours after parliamentary approval. "In exercise powers conferred by … the constitution. I, Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces appoint Martha Karambu Koome to be the chief justice of the republic of Kenya," Kenyatta's announcement said. She replaces David Maraga, who made history by leading the Supreme Court when it annulled Kenyatta's 2017 reelection victory citing "illegalities and irregularities" and ordering a fresh election.