Meet Africa's female Chief Justices: Kenya's Martha Koome joins list

• Africa's latest woman Chief Justice is Kenya's Martha Koome
• Aside Kenya; Ethiopia, Zambia, Seychelles also have female CJs
• Central and North Africa currently don't have any woman CJ as at now

The latest woman to make history as a head of the judiciary in an African nation is Martha Karambu Koome of Kenya.

Her appointment was affirmed by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday May 19 after the Judicial Service of Kenya anf the National Assembly vetted and accepted her nomination to the post.

Whiles it is a giant stride in the East African nation, Koome joins a growing list of African women who have made history by heading the judiciary in their respective countries.

In this article, GhanaWeb looks at some sitting female Chief - if you want Queen - Justices across Africa.

Sudan’s Nemat Abdullah Khair

In late 2019, Sudan appointed its first woman CJ. Nemat was appointment to the position by the ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council.

It was the first time the Arab Muslim nation had a female leading the judiciary.

She was nominated by the judges’ professional association, which was part of a protest movement that helped oust Bashir in April that year.

The other female chief justices on the African continent include:

Ethiopia

Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed in November 2018 appointed the country’s first female chief justice, Meaza Ashenafi.

Ashenafi, who founded the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association, EWLA, currently hiold the position of President of the federal Supreme Court.

Seychelles

Mathilda Twomey is the 7th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Seychelles. In 2011, she became the first female judge in the history of the Indian Ocean island-nation, and in 2015 made history as the country’s first female chief justice.

Twomey was in 2018 exonerated by an impeachment inquiry that was investigating allegations of abuse against her.

Zambia

Irene Mambilima has been Zambia’s chief justice since 2015. She had served as deputy chief justice since 2008.

Mambilima also oversaw elections in 2006,2011 and 2015 as the country’s electoral commision chairperson.

Zambia’s first female chief justice has considerable international experience having served as a sessional judge of the Supreme Court of Gambia, and taken on election observer missions in Liberia, Kenya, Mozambique and Seychelles.