Kenya has lost one of its most senior legal minds. Former Attorney General and retired Judge Paul Kihara Kariuki has died at the age of 72.
The news was shared on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in a statement from his family and Chief Justice Martha Koome. In her message, the Chief Justice said she had received the news of his passing with deep sadness. She remembered him as a retired judge, a former Attorney General and a former President of the Court of Appeal.
President William Ruto also sent his condolences. He described Kariuki as an accomplished jurist and public servant whose work made the country's legal and judicial institutions stronger. The President singled out his role as the founding director of the Judiciary Training Institute.
Kariuki's journey in law began at the University of Nairobi, where he studied law. He later earned a postgraduate diploma from the Kenya School of Law and was admitted to the Bar in 1978. He started his career at Hamilton Harrison and Mathews Advocates, then went on to co-found Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates, where he practised for years. He later joined the Kenya School of Law as its Principal and Chief Executive Officer.
In 2003, he was appointed a High Court judge and worked in the civil and commercial divisions. He then moved to the Court of Appeal, where his fellow judges elected him president in 2013. He held that position until 2018.
Then came the call to serve in government. In February 2018, former President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated him as Attorney General after Professor Githu Muigai resigned. Parliament approved the nomination in March, and Kariuki took office on April 2, 2018.
His time as AG was not smooth. It came during a period of tension between the Executive and the Judiciary, after President Kenyatta declined to appoint 41 judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission. The decision drew sharp criticism from then Chief Justice David Maraga. Kariuki also defended the government's position in the court battles over the Building Bridges Initiative, which wanted to change the Constitution. The Supreme Court finally declared the process unconstitutional in March 2022.
Even so, the State Law Office recorded a busy term under his watch. The government concluded 4,541 cases filed against it, and his office issued 3,119 legal opinions to ministries and government agencies. It also approved 252 procurement contracts.
After the 2022 General Election and the formation of President Ruto's administration, Kariuki left office on October 27, 2022. He handed over to Justin Muturi, who had been appointed by the President as his successor.
Away from government, Kariuki served as an honorary legal adviser to the Anglican Church of Kenya. He was also a member of several professional bodies, including the Law Society of Kenya, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the International Bar Association.
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