Who are they? Profiles of seven-judge bench hearing BBI appeal

Court of Appeal President Daniel Musinga, Justices Hannah
Okwengu, Patrick Kiage, Fatuma Sichale, Gatembu Kairu, Roselyne Nambuye and
Francis Tuiyot are currently making their submissions that are expected to be a
game changer in the country’s political landscape.

But who are the seven judges?

1. Daniel Musinga

He is the current President of the- Court of Appeal and was
first admitted as a High Court advocate back in the year 1988 and since then
Musinga’s star has continued to shine.

Fast-forward to 2003 Musinga would be selected to the tribunal that would constitute to probe judges suspended from the High Court.

 In 2010, Musinga
would join the High Court’s Constitutional and Judicial Review Division as a
judge and will be remembered for his landmark rulings that included the
nullification of the creation of new districts.

In 2013, Musinga was part of the bench that challenged the
High Court decision to restructure the electoral boundaries following a
petition filed to challenge the creation of 80 new constituencies.

Sichale joined the role of advocates in 1983 and worked as a
resident magistrate before resigning to engage in private practice.

In the year 2003 she made a comeback by joining the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission KACC, where she served as the vice-chair of the commission’s board.

 In 2004 and 2005,
Sichale rose through the ranks to be KACC’s assistant director and deputy
director position before resigning from the commission in 2009.

Sichale would be appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal in
the year 2012 before a short stint as Chairperson of the Communication Appeals
Tribunal

She has also served as a Law Society of Kenya, LSK and FIDA council member.

Kiage became an advocate in 1993. In 2007, he joined the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, ODPP as a special prosecuting counsel.

He was appointed at the Court of Appeal in the year 2012 and
is a Holder of a Master’s Degree from New York University majoring in Public
Service Law, Comparative Constitutional Law, Comparative Criminal Justice and
Human Rights.

He has taught law at Catholic University, University of
Nairobi, and the Kenya School of Law

He was appointed to the appellate court this year by
President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Tuiyott sat in the committee that probed the row brewing
between the office of Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and that of Director
of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji.

Kairu has practised law in Kenya as a litigation lawyer
since 1985.

His academic qualifications include a Masters of Laws (LL.M)
from Boston University and a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from the University
of Nairobi.

She joined the advocates’ bar in 1980 and later joined the
Judiciary in 1983, serving as a resident magistrate

In 1999, Okwengu joined the now defunct Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority KACC as assistant prosecution director.

Okwengu has served in Mombasa and Nyeri as a chief magistrate and High Court judge, respectively, before joining the Court of Appeal in 2011.

She is currently the Head of Civil Division, Court of
Appeal.

Nambuye was admitted to the advocate’s bar in 1976 and later
joined the Judiciary in 1980, serving as a district magistrate serving in the
capacity in various stations, including Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Kericho.

She was the first woman principal magistrate and later the
first woman chief magistrate and in 1991, Nambuye was appointed the first
female judge in the High Court.

Nambuye joined the appellate court in 2011 and holds a
Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Nairobi.

Currently, heads the Court of Appeal in Nairobi, Criminal Division.