Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died at the age of 72, his family and Chief Justice Martha Koome announced on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The place and cause of death were not disclosed.
Tributes poured in for the veteran jurist, who served as President of the Court of Appeal and later as Attorney General under President Uhuru Kenyatta. Chief Justice Koome said she was deeply saddened by the passing of “Hon. Justice (Rtd.) Paul Kihara Kariuki”.
President William Ruto led the nation in mourning the former Attorney General, paying tribute to his role in strengthening the country’s legal and judicial institutions. “We shall remember Justice Kihara as an accomplished jurist and dedicated public servant, who made an invaluable contribution to the development and strengthening of Kenya’s legal and judicial institutions,” the President said in a message on his X account.
He singled out Kihara’s work as the founding director of the Judiciary Training Institute, where he helped shape the training and professional development of the country’s judicial officers. The President sent his condolences to Kihara’s family, friends and colleagues, saying the nation shared in their grief.
Born on May 11, 1954, in Kiambu, Kihara was the son of the late Anglican Bishop Obadiah Kariuki and Lillian Wairimu, a daughter of Senior Chief Koinange. He studied at Nairobi School and graduated with a law degree from the University of Nairobi in 1977, before earning a postgraduate diploma at the Kenya School of Law. He was admitted to the Bar in 1978.
He began his career at Hamilton Harrison and Mathews Advocates, where he rose to become a partner. In 1986, he co-founded the law firm Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates. He later served as Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law.
President Mwai Kibaki appointed him a judge of the High Court in 2003, where he served in the civil and commercial divisions. In 2006, he chaired an integrity review committee set up under Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, and in 2009, he became the first head of the newly created Judiciary Training Institute, which trains judges and judicial staff.
He was later elevated to the Court of Appeal, where he served as President from 2013 to 2018.
President Kenyatta appointed him Attorney General on February 13, 2018, to succeed Professor Githu Muigai, who had resigned. He was sworn in that April. He served until October 27, 2022, when he handed over to Justin Muturi.
During his tenure, the State Law Office concluded 4,541 cases, issued 3,119 legal opinions and approved 252 procurement contracts. He represented the government in major cases, including the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) litigation.
He was also an honorary legal adviser to the Anglican Church of Kenya and a member of the Law Society of Kenya, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the International Bar Association. He was awarded the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH).
He is survived by his wife, Sarah Naomi Kimingi Kariuki, and three children.
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