Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Dies as Judiciary Pays Tribute

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 3 — The Judiciary has paid tribute to former Attorney General and retired Court of Appeal President Paul Kihara Kariuki following his death aged 72, describing him as a distinguished jurist whose contribution to Kenya’s legal institutions will endure.

In a condolence message, Chief Justice Martha Koome said Kihara’s career was marked by dedicated public service, judicial leadership and efforts to strengthen the administration of justice.

Koome extended condolences to his family, friends, former colleagues and all those whose lives were touched by his work, saying his contribution to the development of Kenya’s legal institutions would remain part of the country’s institutional history.

Kihara was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 2003 before joining the Court of Appeal, where he became the first President elected by fellow judges under the 2010 Constitution.

He served as President of the Court of Appeal from 2013 to 2018, during which he championed reforms aimed at improving the court’s efficiency and accessibility, including decentralising its operations.

The Chief Justice also recognised his role as the founding Director of the Judiciary Training Institute, the predecessor of the Kenya Judiciary Academy.

She said he laid the institutional foundations for structured judicial education, professional development and capacity building for judges, judicial officers and Judiciary staff.

Kihara later served as Attorney General of Kenya from 2018 to 2022, acting as the Government’s principal legal adviser and bringing his legal experience to the office.

Koome said his legacy would live on through the institutions he helped build, the reforms he championed and the generations of legal professionals who benefited from his leadership.

She prayed for strength and comfort for his family during the difficult period, describing his life as one devoted to the law, public service and the rule of law.

“May Almighty God grant his family strength and consolation, and may his soul rest in eternal peace,” she said.