Chief Justice Martha Koome has announced the passing of High Court Judge David Amilcar Shikomera Majanja.
Justice Majanja died on Wednesday evening at a Nairobi hospital where he was receiving treatment following surgery.
In a statement released on Thursday, Chief Justice Koome expressed profound sadness over the loss, describing Justice Majanja as “a towering figure in the development of our transformative post-2010 jurisprudence and a crucial pillar” of both the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Judiciary.
“We are all heartbroken,” she stated. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Judiciary and JSC fraternity during this time of deep sorrow and sadness.”
Justice Majanja was appointed to the High Court in 2011, serving in various regions including Homa Bay, Migori, Kisumu, and Kisii. At the time of his death, he was stationed at the Milimani High Court Civil Division. His distinguished career also included roles in the Commercial and Tax Divisions.
Recently, on May 25, 2024, Justice Majanja was re-elected to the Judicial Service Commission representing the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA), garnering 81 votes.
His leadership extended to chairing the Human Resource Management Committee and membership in the Audit, Governance and Risk Management Committee, as well as the Learning and Development Committee.
President William Ruto joined the nation in mourning, honoring Justice Majanja as an intellectual lawyer of integrity. “The Hon. Majanja was a brilliant lawyer who joined the Bench after an exemplary spell at the Bar,” the President stated in a post on X.
“His integrity and ability inspired the confidence of his colleagues, while his powerful intellect made him a trusted juridical voice. It has been evident for long that although fairly experienced, Hon. Majanja was at the beginning of a long and illustrious career, and this fact makes his passing all the more tragic.”
