JSC appoints Hassan Omar Daffa as Kenya’s new Chief Kadhi
The Judicial Service Commission named Principal Kadhi Hassan Omar Daffa as Chief Kadhi on Friday. The post had been vacant since Sheikh Athman Abdul-Halim Hussein died in July 2025, and nine candidates were interviewed for it.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has named Hassan Omar Daffa as Kenya's new Chief Kadhi. The appointment ends a leadership gap of more than a year at the country's Islamic courts. The JSC announced it on Friday in a statement signed by its chairperson, Chief Justice Martha Koome. Daffa previously served as a Principal Kadhi. Citizen Digital and KBC reported that he holds a master's degree in Source Methodology in Islamic Jurisprudence and a bachelor's degree in Sharia and Islamic Studies. Both degrees are from Umm Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia. He also has a law degree from Mount Kenya University and is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. The JSC declared the post vacant on January 16, 2026. It held public participation in June, received 14 applications and shortlisted nine candidates. Interviews took place on November 2 and 3, with observers from the Muslim community invited to attend. Capital FM reported that the commission had faced scrutiny over alleged delays in completing the recruitment. Koome said the office "occupies a unique and…
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