Ruto hails Justice Warsame’s appointment to Supreme Court

President William Ruto and the newly appointed Supreme Cout Judge Justice Mohamed Warsame during the swearing-in ceremony at State House on May 7 /SCREENGRAB

President William Ruto has congratulated Justice Mohamed Warsame following his appointment and swearing-in as a judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya.

Justice Warsame was officially sworn in on Thursday as a Judge of the Supreme Court during a ceremony held at State House, Nairobi.

Speaking during the ceremony, Ruto described the appointment as a distinguished honour and praised Justice Warsame for joining the country’s apex court at a critical time in the development of Kenya’s constitutional democracy.

“I congratulate you, Justice Mohamed Warsame, on becoming the 14th distinguished Kenyan to earn the singular honour and privilege of serving as a judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya since the Court's establishment nearly 15 years ago,” Ruto said.

The President noted that the Supreme Court has remained steadfast in upholding the constitution, safeguarding the sovereignty of Kenyans and protecting the independence of the judiciary since its establishment under the 2010 Constitution.

“The Supreme Court, as our nation's apex judicial institution, stands as the ultimate guardian of the constitution and the impartial arbiter of Kenya's most profound legal and constitutional questions,” he said.

Ruto praised the court for delivering landmark judgments and advisory opinions during periods of national uncertainty, saying its jurisprudence has strengthened the country’s democratic foundations and ensured justice for all Kenyans without fear or favour.

“As you join your six colleagues on the bench, you now assume the solemn responsibility of preserving the Court's distinguished institutional heritage, enriching the development of its jurisprudence, and fortifying the foundations of justice upon which our constitutional order rests,” he said.

The President said Justice Warsame’s conduct, diligence, wisdom and integrity would play a key role in shaping the future of the Supreme Court and deepening public confidence in the rule of law.

Ruto appointed Justice Warsame to the Supreme Court through a Gazette notice dated May 5.

He was nominated by the Judicial Service Commission on April 29, to fill the vacancy left by the late Justice Mohammed Ibrahim.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 166 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Justice Mohamed Abdullahi Warsame to be Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya," the notice read.

Justice Warsame holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.

Before his appointment to the Court of Appeal of Kenya in 2012, Justice Warsame served as a High Court Judge in the Commercial Division, Criminal Division and was also in charge of the Judicial Review Division of the High Court. Justice Warsame has an impressive record on the rate of clearance of cases in his court.

Justice Warsame has also served as the chairman of the Community Service and Probation Committee. During his chairmanship, he released more than 7,000 petty offenders from prisons all over the country.