34 judges appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta sworn in at State House

The 34 new judges appointed in a Gazette Notice issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta have been sworn in at State House, Nairobi.

The judges took the oath of office in a ceremony that was streamed across various media platforms on Friday afternoon, just a day after their appointments were announced.

President Kenyatta presided over the ceremony as the oath was administered by Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, Anne Amadi.

The colourful ceremony was conducted in the wake of a number of petitions filed with the courts seeking to bar it.

Recently Gazetted judges of the Court of Appeal and various Divisions of the High Court arrive at State House, Nairobi for their Swearing-in Ceremony presided over by His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta Pulse Live Kenya

Uhuru taken to court over Appointments

The Katiba Institute and Lawyer Kamotho Njenga are among those who have moved to court to challenge the appointments by President Kenyatta.

Both entities are seeking to have the President compelled to appoint the six judges he left out in the Gazette Notice issued on June 3, 2021.

The lobby group had sought to block the President and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) from conducting the swearing-in ceremony.

They further argued that the six rejected judges' rights were violated by President Kenyatta's action.

"The cherry-picking and selective appointment or swearing-in of judges undermines the functions and powers of the Judicial Service Commission and the functioning of the Judiciary. It also is an improper extension of the role of the Executive and has created a constitutional crisis," the Katiba Institute lawyer stated.

Lawyer Kamotho's petition is seeking to have the President compelled to appoint the six judges who were left out from the list submitted by the JSC.