African Court invites nominations for two new judges
The election and appointment of the two (2) new Judges will be conducted during the 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, scheduled for June-July 2022.
The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights (AfCHPR) has called on state parties to submit nominations for election and the appointment of two new judges to fill pending positions on the court's bench.
The call comes after two judges, Ms. Marie-Theresa MUKAMULISA from Rwanda and Ms. Ntyam ONDO MENGUE from Cameroon will be retiring in July 2022.
The election and appointment of the two (2) new judges will be conducted during the 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, scheduled for June-July 2022.
“The Commission would like to invite STATES PARTIES to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Protocol) to submit their candidatures/nominations accompanied by curricula vitae (CVs) of the candidates IN A SEALED ENVELOPE ADDRESSED AND DELIVERED TO THE OFFICE OF THE LEGAL COUNSEL, AU COMMISSION, ON OR BEFORE 31 May 2022,” it said in a statement.
Article 11 of the Protocol provides that the African Court should consist of 11 judges, nationals of the Member States of the African Union (AU).
“No two judges shall be nationals of the same State. Therefore, no candidates must be nominated from the Member States that already have judges in the African Court, namely, Algeria, Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Tunisia” it stated.
Article 12 of the Protocol states that each State Party may propose up to three candidates, at least two of whom must be its nationals.
Additionally, in line with Article 14 of the Protocol, the selection of the judges should enable representation of the main regions of Africa.
Based on this, where applicable, the regional representation, shall be Eastern Africa (2), Central Africa (2), Northern Africa (2), Southern Africa (2) and Western Africa (2), except in cases in which a region that has been duly informed has not presented candidates.
“Additionally, following the expiry of the term of office of Ms. Marie-Theresa MUKAMULISA (from Rwanda) who is occupying the floating seat, the Executive Council shall elect a judge to occupy the floating seat in accordance with Paragraph 2(ii) of Decision.”
