The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has called applications for various top jobs, including the post of Chief Kadhi and Registrar, as it continues to strengthen the Kenya Judiciary.
In a notice released on Friday, January 16, 2026, the commission said the vacancies arise against the backdrop of a continued nationwide recruitment and vetting process for judicial officers and senior administrative staff.
The office of the Chief Kadhi became vacant after the death of Sheikh Athman Abdul-Halim Hussein in mid-2025. The Chief Kadhi is the highest court in matters pertaining to Islamic Law in Kenya, with the Kadhis’ Courts being the courts under which matters pertaining to Muslim personal laws, for example, marriage, divorce, and inheritance, fall. Additionally, this office also oversees other kadhis, among other duties.
JSC also communicated a vacancy for the post of a Registrar that was occupied by Anne Atieno Amadi until January 2024. A Registrar is a key player in giving strategic directions in addition to running day-to-day activities of a commission.
As indicated by JSC, closing dates for application to the positions of senior leadership are February 5, 2026.
The news comes as the commission is currently conducting interviews for the 15 seats for judges in the Court of Appeal. A total of 35 candidates have been shortlisted for the seats, with 21 being current judges and 14 being senior advocates. The candidates have been undergoing interviews since January 12 through a public vetting process.
At the beginning of the week, JSC also announced a vacancy for a judge for the Supreme Court following the death of Judge Mohamed Ibrahim. This is because the judiciary is facing a human resources crisis.
In November 2025, the commission placed 26 advertisements for various professional groups. This marks a new drive to enhance the Judiciary’s strength and performance.
For the purpose of promoting transparency and public engagement, all interviews shall be streamed live on the Commission’s official YouTube and Facebook pages. The interested applicants were instructed to submit their applications through JSC Jobs Portal.
