Why Justice Mohamed Warsame beat the other four to clinch the Supreme Court slot

The nomination of Mohamed Warsame to Kenya’s Supreme Court has sparked a fresh constitutional debate: will William Ruto gazette his appointment—or repeat the dramatic standoff seen under Uhuru Kenyatta? In this explosive breakdown, lawyer Danstan Omari revisits the controversial history where Warsame previously fought the State in court and won, forcing his way into office despite executive resistance. With tensions between the judiciary and executive never far from the surface, this moment could trigger yet another institutional showdown. Omari also unpacks why Warsame stood out among all candidates—his fierce independence, deep knowledge of the Judicial Service Commission, and bold criticism of the Supreme Court itself. From calling out judicial “ivory towers” to pushing for courts to engage ordinary Kenyans, Warsame’s rise is anything but ordinary. But as his star rises, one question dominates: if history repeats itself, is Kenya headed for another legal battle between the presidency and the judiciary?