Kenya's Phoebe Okowa wins a full nine-year term on the world's top court
The UN elected the Kenyan professor to the International Court of Justice, keeping an African voice on the bench until 2036.
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Nairobi — Professor Phoebe Okowa of Kenya has been elected to a full nine-year term at the International Court of Justice, after winning the required majorities in both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council on Tuesday.
She was one of nine candidates for five seats. The others elected were Professor Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, François Alabrune of France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan and Rena Lee of Singapore. All five begin their terms on 6 February 2027 and serve until 2036 on the 15-member court in The Hague.
A seat she already holds
Okowa has sat on the court since November 2025, when she won a by-election for the seat left vacant by the resignation of the Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf. That mandate ran only until 5 February 2027, so Kenya mounted a fresh diplomatic campaign for a full term.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei said the result showed the world's confidence in her at a consequential time. He thanked Sierra Leone, Korea and Ecuador for withdrawing their candidates after the third round of voting, which he said helped avoid a prolonged contest.
President William Ruto congratulated her, calling the election "a moment of great pride for Kenya".
Source: The Star, The Standard, November 2026.
