Chief Justice Martha Koome has announced the death of High Court Judge David Majanja.

Majanja is said to passed on at a Nairobi hospital while receiving treatment after surgery on Wednesday evening.

CJ Koome termed Justice Majanja as a ”towering figure in the development of our transformative post-2010 jurisprudence and a crucial pillar” of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) as well as the Judiciary, at large.

“On behalf of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission, it is with profound sadness that I announce the sudden passing of Justice David Amilcar Shikomera Majanja, Judge of the High Court of Kenya and Commissioner of the Judicial Service Commission. We are all heartbroken,” stated CJ Koome.

“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.”

She added: “We stand in solidarity with the family, friends, and the entire Judiciary and JSC community during this very difficult period of mourning. The Judiciary and JSC family calls for sensitivity and compassion as we come to terms with this sudden loss and share in grief with one another and with the people of Kenya.”

Majanja was appointed judge of the High Court in 2011, and has served in Homa Bay, Migori, Kisumu and Kisii.

He has also served at the Commercial and Tax Divisions and was, at the time of his death, stationed at the Milimani High Court Civil Division.

The judge was on May 25, 2024 re-elected as a member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) representing the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA).

He emerged top in the race after garnering 81 votes, beating out fellow judges James Olola (47 votes) and Joram Abuodha (9 votes).

Majanja was first elected to the JSC on May 14, 2019 for a five-year term.

Prior to his re-election, Justice Majanja served as the Chairperson of the Human Resource Management Committee, and is also a member of the Audit, Governance and Risk Management Committee and Learning and Development Committee.

He holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Pretoria and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi.