Kenya’s legal fraternity is on edge. Just days after President William Ruto’s latest appointments, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has sounded the alarm over what she calls a crisis of justice.
She accuses the government of failing to protect lawyers and citizens from abductions, killings, and harassment. Her demands highlight a chilling reality—families left without answers, perpetrators emboldened by impunity, and the legal system undermined at its core. Odhiambo insists that without accountability, Kenya’s democracy itself is at risk.
Faith Odhiambo Demands Protection of Lawyers and Citizens
Faith Odhiambo’s statement follows growing concerns about the safety of lawyers in Kenya. According to LSK, hundreds of abductions have taken place over the past two years. Some victims were later released, some turned up dead, while others remain missing.
Odhiambo said these cases cannot be dismissed as isolated. Instead, they represent a pattern of intimidation meant to silence those defending justice.
She emphasized that under Article 29 of the Constitution, the right to security and freedom from arbitrary detention is non-negotiable. By allowing abductions to continue unchecked, she argued, the state is breaking its constitutional duty.
The LSK also warned that the ongoing persecution of advocates is not just a lawyer’s issue. It is a national crisis that undermines justice for all citizens. Lawyers play a critical role in defending rights, and their harassment weakens the entire legal system.
Odhiambo recalled the assassinations of advocates like Oscar Kingara and Willie Kimani, who were killed after defending human rights cases. She also cited the unresolved disappearance of Advocate Njau Kiyai, abducted in February 2021. These cases, she said, reveal a disturbing failure by security agencies to provide answers or justice.
LSK on Reopening of Cold Cases
To confront the crisis, Faith Odhiambo announced that the Law Society is compiling a database of all unresolved cases involving the persecution of advocates. This includes abductions, kidnappings, and suspicious killings.
The database will be handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to ensure that no case is ignored. Odhiambo urged investigators to treat the disappearances of advocates as matters of “grave national concern.”
She also demanded that pending cases in court be expedited. Families of victims, she noted, continue to suffer in silence while suspects walk free.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Odhiambo stressed. She called on the Judiciary and law enforcement to prioritize these cases to restore public trust in the justice system.
The LSK president further appealed to families and colleagues of abducted lawyers to share information that can help uncover the truth. She urged Kenyans to view the safety of advocates not as a professional issue, but as a matter of defending constitutional rights for all citizens.
Faith Odhiambo Demands Government Accountability
Odhiambo was clear in her demands to the government. She insisted that state agencies must end the culture of intimidation and reprisals against lawyers.
She accused police officers, often in plain clothes, of being involved in abductions during protests and politically sensitive cases. During the Finance Bill demonstrations in June 2024, witnesses reported uniformed and non-uniformed officers rounding up protesters and activists.
LSK condemned such acts, saying they amount to persecution of citizens exercising their constitutional rights. Odhiambo called this “a direct attack on democracy.”
Despite the dangers, she said lawyers will not abandon their duty. The Society continues to file habeas corpus petitions, trace missing persons, and fight for reparations. Odhiambo praised advocates who volunteer their time and risk their safety to defend justice.
But she warned that without strong government action, the threats will continue. “The persecution of lawyers is unjustifiable and undermines the justice system,” she stated.
Her call is blunt: the government must protect advocates, investigate disappearances, and bring perpetrators to justice. Anything less, she said, is complicity in eroding the rule of law.
Conclusion
Faith Odhiambo’s bold stand highlights a troubling truth — the justice system is under siege. With lawyers abducted, killed, or threatened, the very guardians of the Constitution are being silenced.
By demanding government accountability, reopening of cold cases, and protection for advocates, Odhiambo is not just defending her colleagues. She is defending every Kenyan’s right to justice. Whether the government listens will be a true test of its commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
