Kenya’s bid for a full nine-year term at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has gathered significant global momentum, securing a record number of co-nominations ahead of the United Nations elections in November.
The widespread cross-regional support puts Judge Phoebe Okowa a step closer to securing a seat for the 2027–2036 term. The bench currently includes South African (SA) jurist Professor Dire Tladi, who serves as a key continental voice at the world court.
International law expert Patrick Kadima from the Wits School of Governance believes this level of backing reflects a broader, long-overdue shift in global governance. Kadima points out that while systemic biases and underrepresentation still challenge African lawyers across the multilateral system, global legal circles are beginning to take African scholarship far more seriously. According to Kadima, trailblazers like Okowa and Tladi are effectively redrawing the map for continental influence in international law.
–ChannelAfrica–
