Justice Mohammed Ibrahim of the Supreme Court of Kenya has died at the age of 69. He passed away on Wednesday, December 17, at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi.
Justice Ibrahim was a jurist of long-standing repute and a towering figure in Kenya’s legal and constitutional history. Admitted to the Bar in January 1983, he became the first Kenyan of Somali descent to be enrolled as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
He was a prominent figure in Kenya’s “Second Liberation” pro-democracy struggle, where he distinguished himself through courageous advocacy for human rights and the rule of law.
At a time when such actions were considered treasonous and punishable by death by the State, he provided legal support and counsel to pro-democracy activists and reformist politicians, including Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Kenneth Matiba.
A steadfast champion of minority and marginalized communities, Justice Ibrahim was a founding trustee of the human rights organization Mwangaza Trust, which worked alongside bodies such as Kituo cha Sheria in advancing civil liberties and constitutional reform.
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His opposition to one-party rule led to his detention in July 1990, during which he was held in solitary confinement at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison for one month.
Justice Ibrahim refused, on two occasions during the KANU era, to accept appointment as a judge. He was later appointed to the High Court bench on May 22, 2003, where he served in several divisions, including the Civil, Commercial, and Judicial Review and Constitutional Divisions.
On June 16, 2011, he was appointed to the inaugural Supreme Court of Kenya. At the time of his death, he was serving as Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee on Elections, a position to which he was appointed in August 2022.
Justice Ibrahim studied law at the University of Nairobi. He joined the firm of Waruhiu & Muite Advocates in November 1982 and was admitted to the Roll of Advocates on January 11, 1983.
His death comes just weeks before his scheduled retirement, marking 22 years of distinguished service on the bench, including 14 years at the Supreme Court.
He was among only three remaining justices of the seven-member inaugural Supreme Court, alongside Justices Smokin Wanjala and Njoki Ndung’u. Former Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga retired in June 2016, former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza resigned in 2012, Justice Philip Tunoi retired in 2016, and Justice Jackton Ojwang retired in 2020.
Justice Ibrahim’s death marks the end of a distinguished judicial career that spanned more than two decades on the bench and left a lasting imprint on Kenya’s constitutional and legal development.
He will be laid to rest today, Thursday, December 18, in accordance with Islamic rites.
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