The Judicial Service Commission has appointed lawyer Robert Kibet Kibor as its new Registrar, bringing to an end more than two years of an acting arrangement at the commission.
Kiborβs appointment was announced on Monday, September 7, 2026, following a competitive recruitment process undertaken by the JSC. The appointment was made pursuant to Section 10(2) of the Judicial Service Act, Cap. 8A.
The new Registrar takes over an office that has remained under interim leadership since March 2024, when former JSC Registrar Winfridah B. Mokaya was appointed Chief Registrar of the Judiciary. In the period that followed, Isaac Wamaasa served as Acting Registrar, ensuring continuity within the commission.
Kibor’s appointment therefore provides the commission with a substantive holder of an important administrative and institutional position at a time when the effectiveness, independence and accountability of Kenya’s Judiciary remain major public concerns.
A familiar face within the commission
He joined the Judicial Service Commission in 2012 as a Legal Researcher and has steadily risen through the organisation. Before his appointment as Registrar, he served as Assistant Director, Legal Services, giving him extensive exposure to the commission’s legal, administrative and operational work.
His long tenure within the institution is significant because the Registrar’s office requires not only legal expertise but also a detailed understanding of the JSC’s constitutional mandate, internal systems and relationship with the wider Judiciary.
The JSC said Kibor’s progression through the commission had equipped him with a deep understanding of its mandate, institutional framework and operations.
He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with 14 years of post-admission experience. Academically, he holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Moi University, a Postgraduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law, and a Master of Arts in International Relations, specialising in Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, from United States International University.
He has also undertaken the Strategic Leadership Development Programme at the Kenya School of Government, alongside training in corporate governance and other professional areas
What his new role entails
As Registrar, Kibor will provide strategic leadership and oversight in the management of the commission’s technical and shared services functions.
The position goes beyond routine administration. The Registrar is expected to support the JSC in developing and implementing policies, strategies and programmes designed to improve institutional effectiveness, accountability and the administration of justice.
Under the Judicial Service Act, the Registrar is responsible to the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary and Secretary to the Commission in the performance of the duties of the office.
The role consequently places Kibor at the centre of the machinery that supports the commission’s work.
The JSC is a constitutionally established body with a critical role in Kenya’s justice system. Among its responsibilities are matters relating to the appointment of judges, discipline and complaints involving judicial officers, and promoting and facilitating the independence and accountability of the Judiciary.
An effective administrative structure is therefore essential to the commission’s ability to discharge that mandate.
A recruitment process spanning months
Kibor’s appointment followed a recruitment exercise that began early this year.
The JSC advertised the vacancy on January 16, 2026, inviting applications for the position. Shortlisted candidates were subsequently interviewed on June 30, before the commission selected Kibor.
The competitive process brings to a close a vacancy that had persisted since Mokaya’s elevation to Chief Registrar more than two years ago.
During that period, Wamaasa provided leadership as Acting Registrar. His role ensured that the commission’s operations continued while the substantive recruitment process was undertaken.
The transition from an acting arrangement to a substantive appointment could provide greater continuity and long-term direction for the commission’s administrative functions.
Kenya’s Judiciary continues to face intense public scrutiny over questions of judicial independence, access to justice, institutional accountability and the efficiency of court administration.
While the Registrar is not the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, the position is integral to the functioning of the JSC itself. The office provides administrative and technical support that enables the commission to perform its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
Kibor’s experience could therefore prove particularly valuable. Having spent more than a decade inside the commission, he assumes the position with an understanding of its institutional history and operational environment.
At the same time, his appointment places expectations on him to translate that experience into stronger systems, efficient administration and improved accountability.
The JSC has reiterated its commitment to promoting an independent and accountable Judiciary and to ensuring the effective, efficient and transparent administration of justice.
For Kibor, the immediate challenge will be turning that institutional familiarity into measurable results.
His appointment marks not simply the filling of a vacant office, but the beginning of a new phase for the commission’s administration after more than two years of interim leadership.
The JSC has congratulated Kibor on his appointment and wished him success as he assumes the responsibilities of the office.
