Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Ambassador Ida Odinga, has thrown her weight behind Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u’s qualifications and suitability for election as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Speaking in Nairobi at a high-level engagement convened by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, aimed at mobilising international support for Justice Ndung’u’s candidacy, Mrs Odinga joined senior government officials and members of the diplomatic corps in advocating for Kenya’s official candidate for the ICC.
Opening her remarks with the Swahili proverb — siku njema huonekana alfajiri, meaning “a good day starts at dawn” — Ambassador Odinga told the gathering that she had seen the earliest signs of Justice Ndung’u’s potential long before she gained public recognition.
“I’ve known Njoki since she was a child. I saw Njoki during high school; I was her teacher for six years. It was during this period that Njoki’s character was made, shaping her into the person she is today,” Odinga stated.
She revealed that it was she who first suggested that the young Njoki pursue a career in law, having discerned in her a sharp, determined mind destined for great things.
“From what I know, Justice Njoki Ndung’u is a very intelligent girl. She is focused. She is a go-getter, and she passes the integrity test. Njoki has accomplished so many good things. She is equal to the task. Let us give her our support,” Odinga urged.
Ambassador Odinga traced Justice Ndung’u’s journey from her school days through university, into the legal profession, and subsequently into the women’s movement. During this pivotal period in Kenya’s democratic history, she disclosed that the two worked side by side, advocating for greater female representation in leadership.
For Ida Odinga, the ICC candidature is not a sudden ambition but the natural culmination of a lifetime of principled, purposeful work.
“It is not something that she trained off yesterday and then came and put her candidature. I think this is something that she has been planning to do for a long time. And she is certainly equal to the task,” she affirmed.
The diplomatic session also included a presentation by Justice Ndung’u, who outlined her vision for the ICC. She said her vision is anchored in principles of courage, pragmatism, efficiency, victim-centred justice, and strengthening Africa’s contribution to international jurisprudence.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, Winfridah Mokaya, informed the forum that Kenya’s nomination followed a transparent, merit-based national process, consistent with Article 36 of the Rome Statute and the standards set by the Advisory Committee on Nominations of Judges.
The forum brought together Heads of Mission representing States Parties to the Rome Statute. The Government of Kenya, under President William Ruto, has formally put forward and supported her bid.
Kenya’s campaign forms part of broader efforts to secure representation at key international judicial institutions, with officials expressing confidence in Ndung’u’s suitability for the role.
