Three female judges are vying to succeed Willy Mutunga as the Chief Justice and president of the Supreme Court.

The three judges are reported to be lobbying, with some of them suggesting it is time for the country to have a female CJ.

Their plans, however, depend on whether Deputy Chief Justice Kalpana Rawal will retire at the end of the year. Justice Rawal's contract expires on, or before, December 15, 2015, one and half years before that of Mutunga.

A source at the judiciary said Justices Njoki Ndung'u of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges Wanjiru Karanja and Martha Koome will be happy to see Rawal's exit.

They are also opposed to the case filed by Supreme Court judge Philip Tunoi challenging the requirement for him to retire at 70 years as per the constitution. The judges argue if the case sails through, the succession could be settled one year earlier with either of them getting the job.

This is because Rawal's successor as DCJ, a woman, would be best placed to take over the control of the judiciary and the Supreme Court and fulfil their wish of a first female CJ.

The thinking among the trio is that the High Court should throw out Tunoi's suit, since a ruling in his favour will work for Rawal.