Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi has sparked debate online after strongly criticizing the Kenyan government’s recent nominations to two major international courts.
His comments came after the administration of William Ruto put forward different candidates for positions at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
In a post shared on social media, Abdullahi questioned the thinking behind the government’s strategy. He pointed out that Kenya had nominated Phoebe Okowa for the ICJ, while also nominating Njoki Ndung’u for a judgeship at the ICC.
According to Abdullahi, trying to secure positions at both courts within a short period could weaken Kenya’s chances of success.
Kenya first nominated Okowa to the ICJ after a vacancy was created by the resignation of Abdulqawi Yusuf. In November 2025, Okowa was elected to fill the remaining term.
Her election was widely celebrated because she became the first Kenyan to serve on the court and only the eighth woman in the history of the institution. Her current term runs until February 2027, and the Kenyan government has already started campaigning for her to secure a full nine-year term beginning that year.
However, the debate grew stronger after the government nominated Justice Ndung’u for election to the ICC bench in the December 2026 elections. Abdullahi argued that Kenya may not have enough diplomatic influence to win both positions at the same time.
International courts often consider regional balance and gender representation when member states vote, which means countries sometimes support candidates from different nations rather than concentrating positions in one country.
He also raised concerns about the timing of the two campaigns. Abdullahi suggested that if Ndung’u were to win the ICC seat, other countries might question why Kenya should hold another high-level position in international courts so soon. In that case, they might oppose Okowa’s re-election bid in 2027.
The senior counsel went further and questioned the motives behind the strategy.
In his comments, he asked which of the two respected women might be set up to fail if the plan does not work. He hinted that the decision could involve more than simply promoting Kenyan professionals on the global stage.
His remarks quickly attracted mixed reactions online. Some people agreed with his concerns and said Kenya should focus its diplomatic efforts on securing one position first. Others defended the government, arguing that both candidates are qualified and that Kenya has the right to promote its professionals in international institutions.
