Former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi has expressed his support for High Court Judge Chacha Mwita following his interview by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for Judge of the Court of Appeal.
In a post on X, he described Mwita as a calm, collected, bold, honest, intelligent, knowledgeable and sober Judge.
“I am told Justice Chacha Mwita was interviewed today for Judge of the Court of Appeal. That is a calm, collected, bold, honest, intelligent, knowledgeable and sober Judge. We need him at the Court of Appeal na sio ombi. Ni lazima!” Havi wrote.
Mwita is among the candidates who have appeared before the JSC panel, chaired by Chief Justice Martha Koome.
During the interview, Mwita highlighted the global reach of Kenyan jurisprudence, revealing that he sometimes has to subscribe to online platforms to access judgments he personally authored.
He said the experience, though surprising, underscores the growing influence of his judicial work, with his decisions increasingly circulating beyond national borders and informing legal thinking in other jurisdictions.
“A good judge doesn’t have to announce himself. His judgments will travel across the world,” Mwita said, borrowing from a familiar judicial maxim as he spoke about the impact of his work.
He added that while conducting his own legal research, he has occasionally encountered his decisions on online platforms that require paid subscriptions to access, even when the rulings originated from his own court.
“Sometimes I am surprised when I am doing my own research to find my own judgment on a website where I am asked to subscribe just to get my own decision,” he said.
For Mwita, the irony of paying to read one’s own work is less important than what it signifies.
He said it demonstrates how Kenyan court decisions are being cited, analysed, and relied upon beyond the country’s borders, contributing to what he described as the “pollination of jurisprudence across the world.”
The recruitment exercise seeks to fill 15 vacancies in the country’s second-highest court, following the shortlisting of 35 candidates drawn from the High Court, specialised courts, and other eligible judicial officers.
The process has seen candidates questioned on their judicial philosophy, temperament, integrity, and ability to handle the demands of appellate work.
Mwita told the interviewers that, beyond the reach of his judgments, he brings personal qualities that would be beneficial to the Court of Appeal.
He cited hard work, discipline, patience, and simplicity, noting that these traits have guided his judicial career.
He also emphasised his commitment to meeting timelines, saying efficiency and consistency are critical in reducing delays and strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
He said his record on the bench speaks for itself, pointing to decisions he has rendered both individually and as part of multi-judge benches.
According to Mwita, those decisions demonstrate his approach to constitutional interpretation, respect for precedent, and ability to work collaboratively with colleagues—skills he said are essential at the appellate level.
