The Chief Justice is the Head of the Judiciary assisted by the Deputy Chief Justice. The Chief Justice is the President of the Supreme Court and links the Judiciary to other arms of Government.
The Chief Justice assigns duties to the Deputy Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Principal Judge of the High Court and the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary.
He gives an annual report to the nation on the state of the Judiciary and on the administration of justice; and causes the report to be published in the Gazette, and a copy thereof sent, under the hand of the Chief Justice, to each of the two Clerks of the two Houses of Parliament for it to be placed before the respective Houses for debate and adoption.
The Chief Justice is also the chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The Chief Justice shall hold office for a maximum of ten years or until retiring after attaining sixty five (65) years, whichever is the earlier.
List of all Former Chief Justices in Kenya
| S/N | Name of Chief Justice | Birth… | Date when appointed | Date when retired | Appointing officer |
| 1 | Sir Robert Hamilton | (1867–1944) | 1906 | 1920 | Sadler |
| 1 | Sir Jacob Barth | (1871–1941) | 1920 | 1934 | Northey |
| 2 | Sir Joseph Sheridan | (1882–1964) | 1934 | 1946 | Byrne |
| 3 | Sir Barclay Nihill[6] | (1892–1975) | 1946 | 1951 | Mitchell |
| 4 | Sir Horace Hearne[7] | (1892–1962) | 1951 | 1954 | Mitchell |
| 5 | Sir Kenneth O’Connor[8] | (1896–1985) | 1954 | 1957 | Baring |
| 6 | Sir Ronald Sinclair | (1903–1996) | 1957 | 1963 | Baring |
| 7 | Sir John Ainley | (1906–1992) | 1963 | 1963 | MacDonald |
| 1 | Sir John Ainley | (1906–1992) | 1963 | 1964 | MacDonald |
| 1 | Sir John Ainley | (1906–1992) | 1964 | 1968 | Jomo Kenyatta |
| 2 | Kitili Mwendwa | (1929–1985) | 1968 | 1971 | Jomo Kenyatta |
| 3 | Sir James Wicks | (1901–1989) | 1971 | 1982 | Jomo Kenyatta |
| 4 | Sir Alfred Simpson | (1914–2003) | 1982 | 1985 | Daniel Moi |
| 5 | Chunilal Madan | (1912–1989) | 1985 | 1986 | Daniel Moi |
| 6 | Cecil Miller | (1916–1989) | 1986 | 1989 | Daniel Moi |
| 7 | Allan Hancox | (1932–2013) | 1989 | 1993 | Daniel Moi |
| 8 | Fred Apaloo | (1921–2000) | 1993 | 1994 | Daniel Moi |
| 9 | Abdul Majid Cockar | (1923–2016) | 1994 | 1997 | Daniel Moi |
| 10 | Zachaeus Chesoni | (1936–1999) | 1997 | 1999 | Daniel Moi |
| 11 | Bernard Chunga | (1950–) | 1999 | 2003 | Daniel Moi |
| 12 | Johnson Gicheru | Died in 2020 | 2003 | 2011 | Mwai Kibaki |
| 13 | Willy Mutunga | (1947–) | 2011 | 2016 | Mwai Kibaki |
| 14 | David Maraga | (1951–) | 2016 | 2021 | Uhuru Kenyatta |