President William Ruto has conferred the prestigious rank of Senior Counsel on 54 advocates of the High Court of Kenya, formalising the honour through a special Gazette notice issued on December 10, 2025.
The conferment, based on recommendations from the Committee on Senior Counsel, recognises the recipients' exemplary service, professional integrity, and significant contributions to jurisprudence, public service, and national development. The list includes prominent figures such as National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, National Intelligence Service Director-General Noordin Haji, former Makueni Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, and renowned legal scholar Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba.
In the notice, signed under the President's hand and the Public Seal of the Republic, Ruto stated: "In recognition of the exemplary service rendered to the nation in the legal profession, and in honour of their esteemed contribution to law and development, I have conferred the rank and dignity of Senior Counsel on the following advocates."
The recipients now enjoy the precedence, privileges, and dignity accorded to Senior Counsel, including priority in court appearances, eligibility for leadership roles in legal bodies, and ceremonial precedence in professional gatherings. The rank, equivalent to the Queen's Counsel in Commonwealth jurisdictions, is the highest honour in Kenya's legal profession.
Committee Chairperson Senior Counsel Philip Murgor, who led the evaluation of 105 applications submitted in response to a call issued on September 2, 2025, praised the cohort's diversity. "This group represents the best of our bar—litigators, scholars, public servants, and corporate leaders who have advanced justice and equity," Murgor said. "Their selection underscores our commitment to merit, ethics, and impact."
The list features a blend of seasoned litigators, academics, and public figures. Among the first batch: Rapinder Singh Sehmi, Paul Ndiritu Ndungu, Clement Muturi Kigano, Eliud Ng'ang'a Njoroge, Evans Thiga Gaturu, Ambrose Otieno Rachier, Richard Omwela, Dr. Moses Masika Wetang'ula, Alexandra Kontos, Nancy Wakarima Karigithu, Moses Kipng'etich Kurgat, Rubeena Dar, Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, Lumatete Walubengo Muchai, Njoroge Regeru, Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, Anastacia Kioko Mululu, James Ochieng Oduol, Jane Njeri Onyango, Christine Anyango Agimba, Hillary Chacha Odera, Njeri Caroline Ndegwa Kariuki, Mercy Wangari Buku, Isaac Edwin Nicholas Okero, Prof. Kariuki Muigua, Dr. Hosea Kimutai Kili, Dr. Praxedes Chepkoech Tororey, Kennedy Ogeto, James Mburu Kamau, William Ikutha Maema, Patrick Lutta Odongo, Dr. Ruth Anyango Aura, Dr. Mercy Mwarah Deche, Hassan Nunow Lakicha, Koki Muli Grignon, James Aggrey Mwamu, Adil Arshed Khawaja, Ahmed Issack Hassan, Paul Lilan, Henry Ongicho Asugah, Joseph Kipchumba Kigen Katwa, Jedidah Wakonyo Waruhiu, Mohammed Salim Balala, Rose Waithera Njoroge-Mbanya, Nazima Malik, Michi Kanyiri Kirimi, Noordin Mohamed Haji, Richard Harney Ahmed Sheikh Adan, Nelson Andayi Havi, Eric Theuri Njeru, Elisha Zebedee Ongoya, Dr. Muthomi Thiankolu, and Immaculate Muringo Kassait.
Notable honourees include Speaker Wetang'ula, whose conferment recognises his decades-long career blending politics and law, from defending political detainees to leading constitutional reforms. "This honour is not mine alone but belongs to the people of Bungoma and Kenya who have trusted me to advocate for justice," Wetang'ula said in a statement. "I accept it as a call to continue serving with integrity."
NIS Director-General Noordin Haji, elevated for his role in national security litigation, expressed gratitude. "The rank reinforces my commitment to upholding the rule of law in safeguarding the nation," Haji said.
Prof. PLO Lumumba, a constitutional law expert, viewed the conferment as validation of public interest advocacy. "It is a reminder that the law must serve the people, not just the powerful," Lumumba remarked. "I dedicate this to every Kenyan who believes in justice for all."
Prof. Kariuki Muigua, an environmental law scholar, highlighted the profession's role in sustainable development. "This recognition motivates me to continue bridging law and ecology for future generations," Muigua said.
The process, governed by the Advocates (Senior Counsel Conferment and Privileges) Rules, 2011 (Revised 2017), involved rigorous evaluation by a 10-member committee comprising judicial representatives, the Attorney General's office, LSK President Faith Odhiambo, and Senior Counsels Joyce Majiwa and Ahmednasir Abdullahi.
LSK President Odhiambo congratulated the recipients, emphasising diversity. "This cohort includes more women and young advocates than ever, reflecting a maturing bar," Odhiambo said. "Their elevation strengthens our collective voice for reform."
The conferment follows a three-year hiatus since Uhuru Kenyatta's 2022 award of 24 Senior Counsels. The committee received 105 applications, shortlisting 54 after public input closed on October 16, 2025.
Recipients must take an oath of allegiance and may use the post-nominal "SC." The Senior Counsel Bar, now with 120 members, elects a new chairperson; Philip Murgor was re-elected on December 11, 2025.
Reactions were positive, though some questioned the timing amid judicial reforms. "It's a well-deserved honour for legal luminaries," Chief Justice Martha Koome said. "Their expertise will guide our jurisprudence forward."
As the recipients prepare for investiture, the conferment underscores the legal profession's role in nation-building.
