Former Attorney General and retired Court of Appeal President Paul Kihara Kariuki has died, Chief Justice Martha Koome has announced.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 3, Koome mourned the veteran jurist, describing him as an accomplished legal professional, exemplary judicial leader and committed public servant who made significant contributions to Kenya’s legal institutions.
She also conveyed her condolences to Kihara’s family, friends, former colleagues and others who worked with him throughout his distinguished career.
“It is with profound sadness that I have learnt of the passing of Hon. Justice (Rtd.) Paul Kihara Kariuki, EGH, former Attorney General of the Republic of Kenya and former President of the Court of Appeal,” Koome said.
Kihara joined the Judiciary after his appointment as a High Court judge in 2003. He was later promoted to the Court of Appeal, where he became its first president under the 2010 Constitution.
During his tenure, he championed reforms aimed at improving the court’s efficiency and accessibility, including decentralising its operations to bring judicial services closer to the public.
The late jurist also played a key role in strengthening judicial education after serving as the founding director of the Judiciary Training Institute, the predecessor of the Kenya Judiciary Academy.
Koome said Kihara established the foundations for structured judicial training, professional development and capacity-building programmes for judges, judicial officers and Judiciary staff.
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Beyond the Judiciary, Kihara served as Kenya’s Attorney General from 2018 to 2022 during the second term of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Chief Justice noted that his contributions to judicial reforms and institutional development would remain an enduring part of his legacy.
“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 added.
Kihara’s death comes days after the passing of Margaret Kawuki, a nominated Member of the County Assembly in Taita Taveta County.
On October 29, Jubilee Party Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta mourned Kawuki, describing her as a dedicated public servant who championed democracy, equality and women’s rights.