Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died at the age of 72.
His death was confirmed by his family and Chief Justice Martha Koome in a statement released on Tuesday, November 3.
Koome paid tribute to the retired judge, describing him as a respected figure whose service in the Judiciary and at the Attorney General’s office had left a mark on the country’s legal system.
“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,” she said.
Kariuki held the Attorney General’s position for four years, having been appointed in 2018 by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. He took over from Professor Githu Muigai, who had resigned, and served until October 2022, when he handed over to Justin Muturi following the 2022 General Election.
Prior to being appointed an attorney general in the State Law Office, Kariuki had worked for many years in the Judiciary. He was appointed a High Court Judge in 2003 and had worked in the civil and commercial division before joining the Court of Appeal.
Kariuki was appointed President of the Court of Appeal in 2013, and he held that office until he was made attorney general.
Kariuki began his legal practice in 1978 when he was enrolled to the Bar after graduating from the University of Nairobi and the Kenya School of Law.
He first worked at Hamilton Harrison and Mathews Advocates before setting up Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates with other partners. He later became Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law.
His years as Attorney General
Kariuki’s time as Attorney General coincided with a difficult period in relations between the Executive and the Judiciary.
One of the major disagreements involved Kenyatta’s decision not to appoint 41 judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission. The move was criticised by then Chief Justice David Maraga.
He also represented the government in legal proceedings over the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which sought to introduce changes to the Constitution. The Supreme Court declared the initiative unconstitutional in March 2022.
Figures from his time at the State Law Office show that 4,541 cases filed against the government were concluded. The office also issued 3,119 legal opinions to ministries and government agencies and approved 252 procurement contracts.
After leaving government, Kariuki remained involved in the legal profession. He served as an honorary legal adviser to the Anglican Church of Kenya and was a member of the Law Society of Kenya, Commonwealth Lawyers Association and International Bar Association.
