Nairobi — Court of Appeal Judge Wanjiru Karanja is among 14 candidates who will be battling for the position of six judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Assembly of States Parties will elect six judges of the International Criminal Court at its twenty-second session from the 4th to the 14th of December, 2023.

Lady Justice Karanja has been nominated for list A, which includes candidates with established competence in criminal law and procedure, as well as the necessary experience in criminal law

The 63-year-old judge was competitively elevated to the Court of Appeal in December 2011 where she continued handling appeals in criminal and civil matters, both from the subordinate courts and the High Court.

"In accordance with the legal framework of the Rome Statute, article 36, paragraph 3, the judges of the International Criminal Court "shall be chosen from among persons of high moral character, impartiality, and integrity who possess the qualifications required in their respective States for appointment to the highest judicial office."

She is a University of Nairobi and University of London alumni where she earned her Bachelor of Laws (1979-1984) and a Masters of Law in Public International Law (2007-2009) respectively.

Justice Karanja is a fellow of the Chartered Institute Arbitrators of the London and Kenya Branch.

"One of the modules in my LLM Class was on International Courts and Tribunals. I have practiced criminal law for most of my judicial career spanning 38 years; I am passionate about the administration of justice in criminal law locally and internationally," she says in her application.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.