International Association of Women Judges – Kenya Chapter Collaborative Empowerment Network
Interview with Hon. Wangari (Mary) Kamau-Muiruri, Adjudicator, Thika Small Claims Court
Hon. Wangari (Mary) Kamau-Muiruri holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a Master of
Laws in International Trade and Investment Law from the University of Nairobi, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. With over a decade of post-qualification experience, she has specialized in complex, high-value commercial litigation, previously practicing with firms such as Wandabwa Advocates and Kirundi & Company Advocates. In 2021, she joined the Judiciary of Kenya and currently serves as an Adjudicator at the Thika Small Claims Court.
IAWJ had the privilege of connecting with Hon. Wangari (Mary) Kamau-Muiruri to learn more about her experience as a member of the Collaborative Empowerment Network (CEN) under the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) initiative. In our conversation, she shared what inspired her to join the CEN, the transformative moments she has experienced, and her vision for creating a more inclusive, supportive, and gender-responsive judiciary in Kenya. This interview with Hon. Wangari (Mary) Kamau-Muiruri has been edited for length and clarity.
1. What inspired you to join the IAWJ-KC Collaborative Empowerment Network (CEN), and what has your journey within the CEN looked like so far?
I joined the judiciary in 2021. After undergoing the mandatory induction course and shadowing my seniors, I was placed in my court and soon found myself in need of someone to consult. Thankfully, the doors of my colleagues were always open. I tend to believe that is where my mentorship journey really began. So, when the opportunity came for formal mentorship, I decided to join.
The journey has been meaningful. I was paired with a great mentor and together with my fellow mentee, we have had a number of meetings both physical and virtual where we have discussed our challenges, successes, and how to better perform our duties. I particularly enjoy that the mentorship extends into our personal lives as well as this helps our emotional health.
2. Can you share a moment or experience within the CEN that was particularly meaningful, transformative, or empowering for you?
I believe that all the experiences so far have been particularly noteworthy. The mere ability to sit and listen to the challenges that our senior judges and colleagues have faced along this journey, and how they have summounted them, gave me courage and an in-depth understanding of what is expected of me in my position, and how best to balance and make the best out of our lives.
If I were to isolate one experience, it would be when we had informal mentorship sessions with our seniors expressing the challenges that they have so far faced in the judiciary and how they have overcome them. The informality and relaxed atmosphere where all persons were free to share and learn from each other irrespective of rank was very empowering and transformative for me.
3. In your view, what are the most significant barriers women judges face in advancing to leadership positions in the judiciary?
Whereas the judiciary has worked towards being more inclusive, there still remains the issue of unconscious bias which is a product of our varied cultural, educational, social, and religious backgrounds.
4. What changes would you like to see in the judicial system to better support the inclusion and advancement of women?
I would like to see capacity building and training to increase and improve the capacity of women in handling the core and administrative mandate of the judiciary. This may include ensuring that trainings in leadership have an equal component of both women and men and that the recruitment is transparent and advertised.
Bias recognition training is important. This training would benefit both men and women in the judiciary so that we may be able to understand what bias is and how it affects our decision making.
5. What topics would you like to see addressed for future CEN programming?
Some of the topics I would like to see addressed in future CEN programming would be financial wellness, mental health training, retirement and estate planning. This would help to assist us to balance between our work and families as well as our societal responsibilities.
This will serve to cushion our future and our family’s future, especially given the isolation that happens as a result of our career.
6. How has being a member of a women judges’ association like IAWJ-KC and IAWJ helped shape or advance your judicial career?
The IAWJ-KC and IAWJ have held a number of impactful trainings ranging from financial to legal ones which have built my capacity as a magistrate and built my knowledge base. We also have the CEN mentorship which has granted me access to senior judges whom I would otherwise not have easily shared a room with given our various differing mandates and workstations.
7. What advice would you give to younger women in the judiciary—or those aspiring to join—about rising, leading, and thriving in this field?
I would encourage them to join the judiciary. They should attend as many trainings as possible both before and after joining the judiciary because the opportunities are there, and it is important to keep oneself updated in matters of law.
They should also not be afraid to face the challenges that come along with the position because there is much satisfaction to be had in serving the people, and this will undoubtedly bring about growth in the institution.
The Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) initiative, supported by Co-Impact and implemented by the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) and its Kenya Chapter (IAWJ-KC), seeks to create systemic change within judiciaries by advancing gender equity and leadership opportunities for women. The Collective Empowerment Network (CEN), a pioneering platform designed to strengthen professional development and support systems for women judges through a collaborative, non-hierarchical framework. The CEN fosters shared leadership, mutual learning, and collective advocacy to dismantle barriers that limit women’s entry, advancement, and influence within the judiciary. Through facilitated dialogues, networking, and engagement on priority issues such as anti-corruption, sexual harassment, and wellness, the CEN aims to create a gender-responsive judiciary that reflects the values and leadership of women at all levels, while promoting accountability, transparency, and institutional transformation.