Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya, FIDA Kenya is having troubles after six staff members were unexpectedly resigned from the organisation.

The departures have raised concern among current and former workers, with questions being asked about pay, staff retention and the treatment of employees who carry out much of the organisation's legal and programme work.

FIDA Kenya is one of the country's best known organisations providing legal aid and fighting for women's rights. Its Access to Justice programme provides legal advice, legal representation and other forms of support to women who cannot afford legal services.

Information shared with our desk states that six employees have left FIDA Kenya this year alone. The concerns go beyond the reported departures.

FIDA Kenya has previously faced complaints from people who claim that interns were not properly remunerated for work performed during their placements.

There are further information that qualified advocates working at the organisation receive relatively low pay despite carrying a large share of the legal work, including handling cases for women seeking legal assistance.

These claims raise questions about whether the organisation's internal treatment of workers matches the values it promotes publicly.

Concerns over pay ¶

Something is amiss at FIDA. 6 staff members have resigned in the course of this year alone. The organization has previously been accused of failing to renumerate interns and paying qualified advocates the least despite them carrying substantial portion of the core work.

One of the issues being raised is the pay received by legal staff.

FIDA Kenya currently advertises positions for Legal Counsel in Nairobi and Kisumu. The roles involve providing legal representation, preparing court documents, handling client cases and supporting litigation.

The organisation also advertised a Human Resources and Administration Officer position in August 2026, with responsibilities covering employee contracts, recruitment, performance management and staff relations.

The timing of the recruitment has added to questions from people familiar with the organisation's staffing situation.

FIDA Kenya has also advertised several legal positions this year, including multiple Legal Counsel positions in Nairobi and Kisumu.

FIDA Kenya has publicly advertised internship and pupillage opportunities for students and recent graduates.

In one previous recruitment notice, the organisation described its internship programme as offering practical work experience and professional development across areas including access to justice, women's rights and institutional work.

The current informations raise questions about whether interns are adequately compensated for the work they perform.

The issue is particularly sensitive for an organisation that deals with labour rights and access to justice.

Any claims of unpaid work would need to be assessed against the actual terms of individual internship arrangements and applicable Kenyan employment law.

Who should answer? ¶

It would also be important for FIDA Kenya to clarify its salary structure for qualified advocates, the terms offered to interns and whether all staff benefits and statutory obligations are being met.

The Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya, its Executive Director, Human Resources department and governing Council are therefore among those who should respond to the concerns.

Where employment disputes or claims of unpaid wages are involved, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the relevant labour officers have a role under Kenya's employment framework.

The Law Society of Kenya may equally face questions where the complaints involve the working conditions of practising advocates, professional welfare or access to legal employment protections.

The Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice may also be relevant in the wider conversation around access to justice and legal aid, though the employment complaints themselves would remain matters for the appropriate labour and institutional processes.

FIDA faces a credibility question ¶

The organisation says it works to improve access to justice for women and girls and provides legal aid to people who need representation.

Its legal teams are central to that work. If qualified advocates are carrying substantial caseloads while receiving salaries that workers consider inadequate, questions about staff retention become difficult to ignore.

If six employees have indeed resigned within eight months, the organisation should explain what is driving the departures.

Are the resignations normal staff turnover? Are employees leaving for better paying organisations? Are there disagreements over management?

Are interns being paid? Are advocates receiving salaries that match their responsibilities? And has staff turnover affected the women and families who depend on FIDA Kenya for legal assistance?

The number of reported departures, together with earlier complaints about pay and intern welfare, has created enough concern to warrant answers from FIDA Kenya's management.

The organisation now has an opportunity to explain its staff retention figures, remuneration policies and treatment of interns and qualified advocates.

For an institution that has spent decades speaking up for the rights of others, staff members and former employees are now asking whether the same standard is being applied inside the organisation.