Chief Justice Martha Koome has mourned her Zambian counterpart Irene Chirwa Mambilima who died on Sunday while on official duty in Egypt.
Mambilima had travelled to Cairo on June 10 for an official business but felt ill while in Egypt.
In her message of condolences to Mambilima's family and people of Zambia, Koome said Mambilima was a beacon and trailblazer.
Mambilima was appointed as the first Zambian female CJ in 2015.
Prior to being appointed as the CJ, Mambilima served her nation in other capacities, not only as Assistant CJ but also as the Supreme Court Judge and High Court Judge.
Mambilima served as the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia where she oversaw several Parliamentary and Presidential elections.
Koome added that Mambilima will be remembered fondly for her impact not only in her country but also in Africa.
“She served as a Sessional Judge of the Supreme Court of Gambia in 2003 and also undertook international missions in various countries across Africa Continent, including Kenya as an elections observer,” Koome said.
She added that the Kenyan Judiciary was privileged to work with Mambilima in various regional and international forums for judiciaries.
“She was an ever-present voice in the Commonwealth Judges and Magistrates Associations CMJA meetings, World Bank forums on justice and the rule of law among many others,” Koome said.
Koome added that as an official and active member of the International Association of Women Judges, Mambilima mentored many and boosted the confidence of women and girls to take their space in nation-building.
The death of Mambilima comes as the country continues to mourn the death of its founding leader Kenneth Kaunda.
Kaunda died at the age of 97 in Zambia’s capital Lusaka on Thursday after being hospitalised for a few days.
He was being treated for pneumonia in a hospital in the capital, Lusaka,
Kaunda led Zambia into independence from Britain and went on to rule the country from 1964 to 1991.
He joined the Northern Rhodesian African National Congress in 1951 as one of the people fighting for independence from the British.
Eight years later, he broke away and founded the Zambian African National Congress, which was banned and resurfaced as the United National Independence Party, of which he was the leader.