Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki Dies at 72, Cremation Reported for Wednesday

Kenya mourns the former Court of Appeal President and Attorney General, whose legal career spanned nearly five decades, including service at the highest levels of the Judiciary and government.

Former Attorney General and retired Court of Appeal President Justice Paul Kihara Kariuki has died aged 72, bringing to an end a distinguished legal career that saw him serve as a lawyer, judge, judicial administrator and the government's principal legal adviser.

Kariuki's death was announced on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, by Chief Justice Martha Koome, who led the Judiciary in mourning one of Kenya's most experienced jurists.

Information shared with LiveNow Africa indicates that the former Attorney General is expected to be cremated on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. However, the cremation arrangements had not been independently confirmed through an official family announcement at the time of publication.

The cause of his death has also not been publicly disclosed.

A career spanning nearly five decades

Born on May 11, 1954, in Kiambu County, Kariuki was the son of the late Anglican Bishop Obadiah Kariuki and Lillian Wairimu, a daughter of Senior Chief Koinange.

He attended Nairobi School before joining the University of Nairobi, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1977. He later obtained a postgraduate diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law.

His legal career began at Hamilton, Harrison and Mathews Advocates, where he worked before becoming a partner. In 1986, he co-founded Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates, where he practised until 2000.

He subsequently served as Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law before joining the Judiciary.

In October 2003, President Mwai Kibaki appointed him a High Court judge, marking the beginning of a judicial career that would see him rise to one of the most influential positions in Kenya's appellate court system.

In 2013, he became the first President of the Court of Appeal elected by fellow judges under the 2010 Constitution.

During his tenure, which lasted until 2018, Kariuki championed reforms intended to improve efficiency and access to justice, including decentralising the court's operations.

From the Judiciary to Attorney General

In February 2018, then-President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated Kariuki to succeed Professor Githu Muigai as Attorney General.

He assumed office in April 2018 and served until October 2022, becoming Kenya's seventh Attorney General.

As the government's principal legal adviser, Kariuki worked during a period marked by significant constitutional and political disputes.

His tenure included the controversial Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which emerged following the political handshake between President Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

The initiative faced multiple legal challenges, placing the Attorney General's office at the centre of a major constitutional contest over the proposed reforms.

Kariuki left office following the 2022 General Election, handing over to Justin Muturi, who was appointed by President William Ruto.

Chief Justice Martha Koome pays tribute

In her condolence message, Chief Justice Koome described Kariuki as an accomplished jurist, exemplary judicial leader and dedicated public servant whose contribution to the country's legal institutions would endure.

She particularly recognised his pioneering role as the founding Director of the Judiciary Training Institute, the predecessor of today's Kenya Judiciary Academy.

Kariuki helped lay the foundations for structured judicial education and professional development for judges, judicial officers and Judiciary staff.

Koome said his leadership at the Court of Appeal strengthened the institution and supported reforms aimed at making justice more accessible.

She also extended condolences to his family, friends and former colleagues on behalf of the entire Judiciary.

President Ruto joins nation in mourning

President William Ruto also paid tribute to the former Attorney General, describing him as a dedicated public servant who contributed significantly to the development of Kenya's legal and judicial institutions.

The President singled out Kariuki's role in strengthening judicial training and institutional capacity.

He conveyed his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late jurist.

Remembering Paul Kihara Kariuki

Beyond the offices he held, Kariuki will be remembered for his contribution to judicial training, court administration and the development of Kenya's legal institutions.

His career moved between private legal practice, legal education, the Judiciary and the Executive, placing him at the centre of several important chapters in Kenya's legal and constitutional history.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Njoki Kariuki, and their three children.

His death marks the loss of a senior legal figure whose professional journey closely followed Kenya's evolution from the pre-2010 constitutional order to the judicial and institutional reforms that followed.

As the country mourns, his contribution to the institutions he helped establish and the legal professionals he mentored remains an important part of his legacy.