By the 254.ke Newsroom.
Kenya’s Phoebe Okowa has won a full nine-year term as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), after the UN General Assembly and Security Council voted on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. She received 183 votes in the General Assembly and 13 of the 15 votes in the Security Council, according to Kenyans.co.ke and Citizen Digital. The term runs from February 6, 2027, to February 5, 2036.
What did the ICJ election result say?
Judges of the ICJ must win an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and the Security Council. Kenyans.co.ke reported that the Security Council threshold was eight votes, and that Okowa’s final-round rival, Peru’s Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, got no Security Council votes and two in the final General Assembly ballot.
Five seats were filled in the same election, Citizen Digital reported, from a field of nine candidates. The other four judges elected were:
- Dapo Akande (United Kingdom)
- François Alabrune (France)
- Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud (Jordan)
- Rena Lee (Singapore)
Why is this a re-election?
Okowa is already on the bench. Citizen Digital reported that she first joined the ICJ in November 2025, elected to fill a vacancy left when Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf resigned. That seat was due to expire on February 5, 2027, which is why her new term starts the next day. Citizen reports she was the first Kenyan to serve as an ICJ judge since the court was set up in 1945.
Sierra Leone also had a candidate, Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh. Both outlets reported that his government withdrew his candidacy and backed Okowa to keep an African seat on the court. Sierra Leone’s mission said: “Africa first.” The reports differ slightly on timing. Kenyans.co.ke says the withdrawal followed several inconclusive rounds; Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’oei said Sierra Leone, South Korea and Ecuador withdrew after the third round.
Who is Phoebe Okowa?
According to Citizen Digital, Okowa is a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London. She earned a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Nairobi, then a Bachelor of Civil Law and a doctorate at the University of Oxford. She has served on the UN International Law Commission, where she was the first African woman member, and is a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
How did Kenya’s leaders react?
President William Ruto congratulated her on X on Wednesday morning, saying, according to Kenyans.co.ke, “Your election is a moment of great pride for Kenya.” Sing’oei said he welcomed the election “with immense pride” for the 2027-2036 term. Former Chief Justice David Maraga called the result an affirmation of the world’s confidence in “one of Kenya’s finest jurists.”
Key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Election date | November 3, 2026, UN headquarters, New York |
| General Assembly votes | 183 |
| Security Council votes | 13 of 15 |
| Term | February 6, 2027 to February 5, 2036 (nine years) |
| Seats filled | Five, from nine candidates |
FAQ
What does the International Court of Justice do?
It is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on questions referred by UN bodies. More on its work is at the ICJ website.
How many judges sit on the ICJ?
The court has 15 judges. Citizen Digital reported that five seats came up in this election.
When does Okowa’s new term begin?
On February 6, 2027, and it ends on February 5, 2036.
Is this Kenya’s first ICJ judge?
Citizen Digital reported that Okowa, first elected in November 2025, was the first Kenyan to serve as an ICJ judge since 1945.
Related reading on 254.ke: Martin Kimani, Kenya’s new UN Assistant Secretary-General and Kenya’s Idris Elba deal and the CHOGM statement.
Sources: Kenyans.co.ke and Citizen Digital, November 4, 2026. Details are as of November 5, 2026.
