Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died aged 72, Chief Justice Martha Koome has confirmed. Kihara served as Kenya’s Attorney General between February 2018 and October 2022, becoming the seventh person to hold the position. Before joining the Office of the Attorney General, he served as President of the Court of Appeal from 2012 to 2018. His career in the Judiciary also saw him serve as a High Court judge, Director of the Judiciary Training Institute and Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law.
During his leadership at the Court of Appeal, Kihara played a role in strengthening the institution through the development of key frameworks, including the Court of Appeal Bill and its strategic plan. He was an alumnus of the University of Nairobi, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree, before proceeding to the Kenya School of Law for his Postgraduate Diploma in Law.
Kihara was appointed Attorney General by former President Uhuru Kenyatta and officially sworn into office in April 2018, taking over from Professor Githu Muigai. In her condolence message issued on Tuesday, Chief Justice Martha Koome paid tribute to Kihara, describing him as an accomplished legal mind, an outstanding judicial leader and a committed public servant.
Koome noted that his service and contributions to Kenya’s legal and judicial institutions would remain an important part of the country’s history. She also conveyed her condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and all those who worked alongside him throughout his public service career.
