Martha Karambu Koome is a skilled Kenyan human rights defender, advocate, and former Court of Appeal Judge. She is a veteran lawyer who has worked in almost all ranks of the judiciary. A recent nomination into the office of Chief Justice is a deserved promotion. Lady Justice Martha Koome's biography provides untold facts about her admirable life story.
The recently held CJ
interviews ended with Justice Koome the winner. She emerged top, beating nine
other candidates in the contest. Among those shortlisted were three ladies and
seven males. Kenyans are optimistic that Koome will defend her nomination in
the upcoming vetting process.
Justice Martha Koome profiles summary
o Real name: Martha Karambu Koome
o Popularly: Martha Koome
o Date of birth: 1960
o Birth sign: under review
o Place of birth: Kithiu Village, Meru County
o Martha Koome age: 61 years
o Tribe: Meru
o County: Meru County
o Nationality: Kenyan (East Africa)
o Martha Koome Instagram: #marthakoome
o Martha Koome Facebook: #marthakoome
o Justice Martha Koome Twitter: @Martha_koome
o Occupation: Lawyer, Judge
o Roles: Chief Justice nominee
o Martha Koome husband: Koome Kiragu
o Justice Martha Koome children: 3
o Years active: 1987 to date
o Religion: under review
o Sexual orientation: Straight
o Relationship status: Married
Martha Karambu Koome
is famous for emerging top pick in the list of Judicial Service Commission
shortlisted candidates 2021.
Justice Martha Koome biography with
pictures
Hon Martha is a daughter
of a humble family turned prosperous through commitment and hard work.
A successful
professional career in law practises continues to cement her legacy in the
chambers of justice.
Who is CJ Martha Koome?
Martha Karambu Koome
is a long-serving member of the Judiciary Service Commission.
Mrs. Koome will be
succeeding the retired CJ David Maraga as a judiciary boss upon
confirmation by parliament and President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.
How old is Justice Martha Koome?
Martha Karambu Koome
is 61 years old as of 2021. The lady justice was born in 1960 within Kithiu
village in Meru County.
There is, however, no
sufficient info on Martha
Koome date of birth – born month and day.
The searching for
Justice Koome’s birthday is ongoing.
Childhood and early life experiences
The CJ elect has
confirmed growing up in a deprived home. She recalls suffering extreme
financial and social challenges, even worse being a girl.
Martha has openly
narrated how she managed to overcome the blunt of poverty with education.
Justice Martha Koome tribe and nationality
The incoming CJ,
Martha Karambu Koome is of the Ameru tribe also called Meru ethnicity.
Furthermore, the
nationality of Martha Koome is Kenyan. She is fluent in Ameru language as well
as Swahili and English.
Martha Koome educational background
Excellent KCSE grades
from Mugoiri Girls High School qualified Koome into the University of Nairobi
for a Bachelor of Law degree.
In 1986, Mrs. Koome
graduated from UoN with exemplary grades on her certificate.
The determined Koome
proceeded to join the Kenya School of Law in 1987. She attained a
Postgraduate Diploma in law from KSL.
In 2010, Mrs. Koome
graduated from the University of London with a Masters’ Degree (LL.M), having
majored in Public International Law.
In summary, Martha
Koome is an academic genius with an LL.M from the University of London and an
LL.B from the University of Nairobi.
CJ Martha Koome family tree and history
Mrs. Koome traces her
ancestry in Kithiu Village within Meru County. She comes from a supportive family
of a loving husband, children, and relatives.
Autobiography of Martha Koome parents and
siblings
Mrs. Martha describes
herself as a village girl who grew under the care of industrious
peasant farmers.
She belongs to a
family of two wives and 18 children. For this reason, there were little
resources for her schooling and daily bread.
Martha has a role
model elder sister called Rosemary Kathure. Other figureheads in her life
include Dr. Jenifer Riria and Prof Leah Marangu.
Above all, Justice
Martha Koome's biography reveals that she looks up to her mother for inspiration.
Justice Martha Koome husband name and photos
Martha Koome married
her childhood boyfriend lover, Koome Kiragu. The couple is often touring the
world with humanitarian courses at heart.
Mr. Koome Kiragu and
his wife Martha walked down the aisle early in life.
There are scarce
highlights and photos from their wedding and exchanging of vows.
Who is Martha Koome's husband Koome Kiragu?
Mr. Koome Kiragu
biography shows that he is an executive member within the United States based
Habitat for Humanity.
Being the only African member within the organization did not stop Kiragu from becoming the board’s
governing executive in 2017.
Children of Martha Koome and husband Kiragu
Martha Koome’s three
children are all adults now pursuing different career interests away from their
parents.
Growing up in a low-income family motivated Martha to prepare a better life for her children.
Justice Martha Koome CV on career history
Martha is a down-to-earth legal talent with 33 years of experience in the practice of law.
She is
particularly vocal on matters of women rights and justice for all.
The lady justice
joined the bar in 1987, immediately after graduating from the Kenya School of
Law with a postgraduate diploma.
Martha Koome & Co Advocates
In 1993, she
established Martha Koome & Co Advocates. Martha served as a Managing
Director in the firm until 2003.
Working in her private
legal firm provided an opportunity of becoming a human rights defender.
She has since fought
to wipe out gender-based discrimination laws. As a result, Martha became chair
within the Federation of Kenya Women Lawyers.
Councilmember in the Law Society of Kenya
In 1993, Justice
Martha became a Law Society of Kenya council member, she served until 1996.
Serving in the scary
era of president Moi was particularly difficult, but she managed to render
justice.
High Court judge appointment by Mwai Kibaki
In 2003, the former
head of state, Mwai Kibaki, appointed Martha Koome as a judge in the High Court.
CJ Martha Koome moved
into the court of appeal in 2011. She has been serving in different legal
stations including Nakuru Law Courts.
Justice Martha Koome interview live
Prof Olive Mugenda
confirmed the appointment of Martha Koome into the position of CJ.
She spoke of how the
lady justice won the unanimous voting of panelist JSC officials.
Full list of JSC shortlisted candidates 2021
Kenya
Some of those who lost
in the recently held JSC interviews are clearly unhappy.
Firstly, because the
commission has not released their
performance results.
Secondly, considering
the JSC has not clarified on the criteria used to appoint Judge Martha Koome.
Those who lost include;
1. Alice Yano
2. Fred Ngatia
3. Philip Murgor
4. Dr. Wekesa Moni
5. Justice Marete Njagi
6. Justice Nduma Nderi
7. Hon Justice William Ouko
8. Prof Patricia Kameri Mbote
9. Justice Said Juma Chitembwe
Katiba Institute and
Prof Makau Mutua are ongoing with a petition to have the scores of defeated
candidates released to the
public.
Justice Martha Koome Chief Justice Kenya 2021
The Judicial Service
Commission (JSC) declared Justice Martha Koome a chief justice elect on April 27,
2021.
The world is ongoing
with celebrations on her appointment as first woman CJ in Kenya.
Martha Koome net worth and salary
The new CJ Koome has
not declared her wealth and the six-figure salary in her payslip.
Elsewhere, Martha has
not listed all properties, houses, homes, and cool cars under her name.
Some sources estimate
the empire of Martha Koome’s wealth at Ksh. 100 million.
CJ Martha Karambu Koome contacts
o Twitter: @Martha_koome
The CJ elect, Martha,
remains a celebrated figure, ready to fit into Maraga’s shoes as the 15th Chief
Justice of Kenya since independence.
Similarly, Koome will
become a third CJ under the new constitution of 2010 if vetted into office by
the National Assembly and confirmed by the President. .
Justice Martha Koome's
biography speaks of a
likely first female Kenyan CJ in history. It is a summary of a judge who has
written a clean jurisprudence record.