Kenyan law professor Phoebe Okowa has been re-elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), securing a full nine-year term that will run until February 5, 2036.
Okowa secured the position during elections held in New York on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, after several rounds of voting involving nine candidates competing for five available positions.
She received 183 votes in the United Nations General Assembly and 13 votes in the 15-member UN Security Council, securing the required majority in both bodies.
Her victory ensures that Kenya will continue to have a national serving on the United Nations’ principal judicial organ for the next nine years.
Sierra Leone Withdraws Candidate to Support Okowa
The election required multiple rounds of voting before Okowa secured the final position.
Her victory received a boost after Sierra Leone withdrew its candidate, Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh, and backed the Kenyan jurist in an effort to retain Africa’s representation on the court.
The voting process involved the UN General Assembly and Security Council, which must independently approve candidates for them to be elected.
Okowa was among five successful candidates elected to serve new nine-year terms. The other four are Professor Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, François Alabrune of France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan and Rena Lee of Singapore.
All five judges will begin their new terms on February 6, 2027, and serve until February 5, 2036.
Okowa Made History in 2025
Okowa first joined the International Court of Justice in November 2025 after being elected to fill a vacancy left by Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who resigned before completing his term.
Her initial appointment was only for the remainder of Yusuf’s tenure, which was scheduled to end on February 5, 2027.
Her latest election therefore secures a full nine-year mandate, allowing her to continue serving on the 15-member court.
When she first joined the institution, Okowa became the first Kenyan to serve as an ICJ judge since its establishment in 1945.
Her appointment marked a significant milestone for Kenya’s presence in international legal institutions.
Who Is Professor Phoebe Okowa?
Phoebe Okowa is a distinguished Kenyan legal scholar and Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London.
She has built an academic career specialising in international law and has contributed to discussions on international legal principles and the responsibilities of states.
In 2021, she became the first African woman elected to the United Nations International Law Commission, an expert body responsible for promoting the progressive development and codification of international law.
She also holds qualifications from the University of Nairobi and the University of Oxford, where she earned her Bachelor of Civil Law degree and doctorate.
Her academic and professional experience has contributed to her work in international legal institutions, including the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.
What Does the International Court of Justice Do?
The International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, Netherlands, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
It handles legal disputes submitted by countries and provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN institutions and agencies.
The court has 15 judges, each elected to serve a nine-year term. Its work involves interpreting international law and resolving disputes between states.
Unlike the International Criminal Court, the ICJ does not prosecute individuals for criminal offences.
Okowa’s re-election gives Kenya continued representation on the international judicial institution as it handles legal disputes and questions affecting countries across the world.
