A High Court judge has revealed that she once considered suing former President Uhuru Kenyatta for defamation after he refused to appoint her and 13 others to the bench.
Justice Asenath Ongeri was among the candidates nominated by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in 2015 under then-Chief Justice Willy Mutunga. However, Uhuru declined to gazette and swear them in, citing unresolved “integrity issues” without providing further details.
In her book, The Making of a Judge, Ongeri recounts how the delay tarnished her reputation and caused her significant distress. She describes the pronouncement as defamatory, questioning why she was labeled as having integrity concerns without evidence.
After months of uncertainty, the 14 judges were abruptly summoned to State House and sworn in on May 14, 2015. While Ongeri contemplated legal action against the former president, she ultimately chose to forgive, drawing strength from her belief in her integrity.
Admitted to the bar in 1988, Ongeri has had a long career in the judiciary, rising from State Counsel to Chief Magistrate before her eventual appointment as a High Court judge.
