Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki dies

Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died, with Chief Justice Martha Koome leading tributes to the retired jurist, recognising his contribution to Kenya’s legal institutions and the administration of justice.

In a condolence message issued following his death, Koome, who is also President of the Supreme Court, said Kariuki had distinguished himself through decades of service in the Judiciary and the national government.

She extended condolences to his family, friends, former colleagues and others who worked with him during his career.

“Justice Kihara Kariuki was an accomplished jurist, an exemplary judicial leader and a dedicated public servant whose contributions to the administration of justice and the development of Kenya's legal institutions will remain an enduring part of our institutional history,” Koome said.

Kariuki was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 2003 before being elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2012. He subsequently became the first president of the appellate court elected by fellow judges under the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.

He served as President of the Court of Appeal from 2013 to 2018, overseeing reforms aimed at improving the institution's efficiency and accessibility.

One of the changes associated with his leadership was the decentralisation of the court's operations, which expanded its presence beyond Nairobi to other parts of the country.

The Judiciary also recognised his contribution to judicial education through his role as the founding Director of the Judiciary Training Institute, the predecessor of the Kenya Judiciary Academy.

Kariuki led the institute from 2009 to 2013, helping establish systems for professional development and capacity building among judges, magistrates and other judicial staff.

Koome described the institute as one of his most enduring contributions to the Judiciary.

“One of Justice Kihara Kariuki's most enduring contributions to the Judiciary was his pioneering leadership as the founding Director of the Judiciary Training Institute, the predecessor of today's Kenya Judiciary Academy.

“At a formative stage in the institution's development, he laid the operational foundations for a structured and institutionalised approach to judicial education, professional development and capacity building for Judges, Judicial Officers and Judiciary staff,” she said.

His career in public service extended beyond the courts when he was appointed Attorney General by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018.

He was sworn in on April 28, 2018, becoming Kenya's seventh Attorney General, replacing Prof Githu Muigai, who had resigned. Kariuki served until October 2022, when he handed over the office to Justin Muturi following the end of Kenyatta's administration.

Before joining the Judiciary, Kariuki worked in private legal practice and served as Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi in 1977 and later obtained a postgraduate diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law.

His professional career included partnerships at Hamilton Harrison and Mathews and Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates. He was also associated with the Law Society of Kenya, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the International Bar Association.

Koome said the former Attorney General's contribution would continue to be reflected in the institutions he helped build and the professionals he mentored.

“His legacy will endure through the institutions he helped build, the reforms he championed and the generations of judicial and legal professionals who benefited from his leadership,” she said.

The Chief Justice offered prayers for his family, asking God to grant them strength and consolation as they mourned his death.

The Judiciary is expected to provide further details on arrangements following the death of the former Attorney General.