Profile of Ruto’s ICC Lawyer Nominated as Court of Appeal Judge

KATWA KIGEN

DATE OF BIRTH	N/A
FAMILY	Married and has four children
OCCUPATION	Lawyer

Katwa Kigen Biography

Senior Counsel Katwa Kigen, who was a member of President William Ruto’s defence team at the International Criminal Court (ICC), is among the candidates nominated as a Judge of the Court of Appeal.

Kigen was interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, as part of the process to fill 15 vacancies in the Court of Appeal. The interviews began on January 12, 2026.

He was among 35 shortlisted candidates initially announced in October 2025, following the closure of applications in July 2025.

Katwa Kigen is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with 30 years of legal practice. Over the course of his career, he has appeared in all levels of Kenyan courts and internationally, including the East African Court of Justice, the Sports Court in the United Kingdom (UK), and the ICC.

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Katwa Kigen’s Career

He was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya in 1996 and currently practices at Katwa and Kemboy Advocates in Nairobi.

His primary areas of practice include:

Civil litigation: Banking, insurance, medical negligence, malpractice, and land disputes
Commercial law: Transactions, international trade, and construction
Environmental law and judicial review
Criminal law and public international law claims
Employment law and debt collection
Arbitration and mediation

Kigen regularly handles cases before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Industrial Court, and other specialised tribunals.

He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons) from the University of Nairobi, as well as a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.

Also Read: Profile of Justice Oscar Angote, Eyeing a Court of Appeal Judge Position

Notable Cases Handled by the Veteran Lawyer

Some of the high-profile cases Kigen has handled include:

Joshua Sang at the ICC – Represented the radio reporter following Kenya’s post-election violence in 2007/08, a case of national and international significance.
Jacque Maribe – Successfully defended the former Citizen TV journalist in a murder trial, resulting in her acquittal due to insufficient prosecution evidence.
Henry Rotich (former Treasury CS) – Defended in the Sh63 billion Arror and Kimwarer corruption case, achieving a favorable outcome for the client.
Pro bono work for families of victims murdered by police officers – Provided legal representation in a case that drew national and international attention.
Kericho Governor Erick Mutai (2025) – Served as lead counsel during impeachment hearings, successfully challenging procedural irregularities and cross-examining witnesses to prevent the governor’s removal from office.

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