Philomena Mwilu , Deputy Chief Justice

The National Assembly yesterday unanimously voted to approve Lady Justice Philomena Mwilu for the Deputy Chief Justice Position (DCJ).

Philomena Mwilu had been endorsed by the house legal committee after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) shortlisted her for the job to succeed Justice Kalpana Rawal.

Mwilu beat 13 other female candidates who had been shortlisted by the JSC in the quest to find a successor of retired Lady Justice Kalpana Rawal, who lost an appeal to cling on the seat over an age retirement threshold.

She comes in as Kenya’s third DCJ after Rawal and Nancy Baraza.

Lady Justice Philomena Mbete Mwilu graduated from the University of Nairobi and was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya in 1984. She has a 32-year experience in legal practice.

She practiced law in the firms of Muthoga Gaturu & Company and later Mutunga & Company Advocates. She worked as company secretary and headed a state corporation before being appointed as Judge of the High Court in 2007.

Lady Justice Mwilu also served in the Commercial Division in Nairobi, at the Eldoret High Court and the Civil Appeals sub-division of the High Court, the murder section of the Criminal Division and later headed the Environment and Land Division of the High Court.

The speaker of the National Assembly, Justin Muturi had forwarded Mwilu’s name to the president for her swearing in ceremony.

The new CJ David Maraga was sworn in on 19 October following parliamentarty approval the previous day.