| Real Name/Full Name | Martha Karambu |
| Nick Name/Celebrated Name: | Martha Koome |
| Birth Place: | Kithiu Village, Meru County, Kenya |
| Date Of Birth/Birthday: | 1960 |
| Age/How Old: | 64 years old |
| Height/How Tall: | In Centimetres – 168 cm In Feet and Inches – 5′ 6″ |
| Weight: | In Kilograms – 65 Kg In Pounds – 145 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Black |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Parents Name: | Father – Unknown Mother – Unknown |
| Siblings: | Unknown |
| School: | Unknown |
| College: | University of Nairobi and University of London |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Nationality: | Kenyan |
| Zodiac Sign: | Capricorn |
| Gender: | Female |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Boyfriend: | N/A |
| Husband/Spouse Name: | Koome Kiragu |
| Kids/Children Name: | Yes. Three |
| Profession: | Judge |
| Net Worth: | $6.7 million |
| Last Updated: | December 2024 |
Martha Karambu Koome is a Kenyan Human Rights Defender and an advocate who is currently serving as the President of the Supreme Court of Kenya and the Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya. She is the 15th Chief Justice as well as the first woman to become Chief Justice in Kenya. She was appointed by Uhuru Kenyatta to take over after the retirement of David Maraga. She has been in the legal profession for over 33 years.
Biography and Early Life
Martha Koome was born and raised in Kithiu Village, in Meru County. Much is not known concerning her family and how she grew up. She also does not talk much concerning her parents and siblings.
Education
Koome is a very educated lady. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the University of Nairobi and earned an LL.B. the following year; she joined Kenya School of Law. She also holds an LL.M. from the University of London in Public International Law, and she graduated in 1986. She earned her Master’s degree in Public International Law from the University of London in 2010.
Personal Life
Koome is a married woman with children. She met and married her life partner, Koome Kiragu, and the couple is blessed with three children. All her children are in their adulthood.
Professional Career
Koome started her legal career back in 1986 when she became an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, where she worked as a legal associate at Mathenge and Muchemi Advocates but left in 1993. She started her own law firm and remained the managing partner until 2003. She was a board member of the Law Society of Kenya from 1993 to 1996.
During the time she worked with the Law Society of Kenya, she led various legal and constitutional reforms, including the delegation of the Bomas of Kenya. She was the inaugural treasurer of the East African Law Society of Kenya from 1994 to 1996. She has also been the chairperson of FIDA. Koome has been at the forefront of defending Human and Gender Equality Rights.
She started her judicial career in 2012 after she was appointed as the judge of the court of appeal. Previously, she had been a Puisne judge for more than eight years. The same year she joined the Court of Appeal, she was appointed as the chairperson of the Kenya Magistrates and also Judges Association. Koome was among the 13 female candidates selected by the Judicial Service Commission for the position of Deputy Chief Justice. The position was taken over by Justice Philomena Mwilu.
Among the 13 candidates who wanted to take over after the retirement of David Maraga in 2021, Koome was one of them. After being shortlisted, she went for a public interview on 12 April 2021. Later, she was accused y the president of the Law Society of Kenya of being an unfair arbiter saying she riled some cases with nepotism and nepotism. Her stability was also challenged by Khelef Khalifa and questioned the manner she took part in the Court of Appeal sitting.
Koome was among the judges who were set to appear in the Court of Appeal to handle the matters of a repeat of the presidential elections. However, on the eve of the judgment, the government declared that day which was on 25 October 2017, a public holiday, and thus the judges were not able to render any judgments.
She was interviewed by and questioned about her role in the case and said that she had to comply with all the directives of the president of the Court of Appeal. She said that she had to comply, and this helped the country from a constitutional crisis. After the interview, Koome was announced by the JSC to have succeeded in the nominations of the position of the next Chief Justice, becoming the first female to hold that position and also the 15th Chief Justice in the Republic of Kenya.
After her nomination, her name was sent to the president, who then sent her name to parliament for vetting and approval before finally getting appointed. Her vetting hearing by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Committee was on 13 May 2021. After the approval by the full house on 19 May, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed her the Chief Justice on 19 May 2021.
Awards and Achievements
Koome has achieved a lot from her career journey as a judge. She served in many different positions in the judicial system and finally was appointed to become the Chief Justice. That is her greatest achievement as she has become the first female Chief Justice in Kenyan history.
Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Martha Koome in 2024
Koome is one of the richest persons in the republic of Kenya. Her estimated amount of net worth is around $6.7 million. She has earned her wealth from her judicial career, which she has done for many years now.
Some Interesting Facts You Need To Know
- She is the first female to be appointed in the position of Chief Justice.
- She came from a family of two wives and 18 siblings, and for this reason, resources were limited when they were growing up.
- Koome has described herself as a village girl who was brought up by industrious poor farmers.
Martha Koome’s Social Media Platforms
Justice Koome seems to be inactive on social media. We are yet to get her social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Her Instagram account has many followers, while her Twitter account has few followers.
Martha Koome is one of the most successful women in the Republic of Kenya. She is the first woman to be appointed as the Chief Justice in Kenya. She had also worked as a judge for several years and has many years of experience in the legal profession.