Kalonzo urges lawyers to defend justice amid rising election violence
By Faith Lagat, December 7, 2025Wiper Patriotic Front leader and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has called on Kenyan lawyers to intensify their defence of constitutionalism and the rule of law amid rising election-related violence and political impunity threatening the nation’s democracy.
Speaking to members of the Law Society of Kenya’s Lower Eastern Advocates Forum at Sisu Hotel in Machakos County, Kalonzo described lawyers as “the vigilant guardians of our constitutional order” and “one of the last bastions standing between Kenya and the erosion of our democratic values.”
Condemning election violence and impunity
Turning to recent events, Kalonzo condemned the violence during the November 27 by-elections, which claimed at least 15 lives in Kasipul Constituency.
He criticised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for failing to safeguard voters and called for prompt investigations.
“Those who orchestrated election violence should have been summoned already. Those responsible for the tragic loss of at least 15 lives in Kasipul should be held accountable for their actions before a court of law,” read the X post dated December 7, 2025.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions ought to have directed the Inspector General of Police to commence investigations without delay. And let this be understood clearly: if justice is delayed, the citizens retain the constitutional right to pursue private prosecutions. Impunity must never be allowed to suffocate our democracy.”
Landmark high court ruling praised
Kalonzo welcomed the December 5 High Court ruling delivered by Justices Ngaah, Chigiti, and Mugambi in a case challenging the defection of Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo and Deputy James Lowasa from the Jubilee Party to the UDA after the 2022 elections.
The petition, filed by Ali Guracha and argued by lawyer Kibe Mungai, declared that elected leaders seeking to change parties must first resign and seek a fresh mandate.
“The people’s mandate is sacred and cannot be traded like a commodity,” Kalonzo told the lawyers, quoting the court’s finding that using parties as “mere ladders to power, only to abandon them moments after being sworn in, is selfish, unconstitutional, and a betrayal of the electorate.”
He described the unanimous decision as both a legal and moral victory that restores public confidence in multiparty democracy.
Call for pro bono
Kalonzo encouraged lawyers to deepen their pro bono work, noting that many Kenyans “do not lack rights; they lack access.”
He urged the legal community to remain courageous and principled, reminding them that “the internet never forgets” and that their words and actions, both in court and online, shape the nation’s ethical trajectory.
In closing, he declared that “the future of Kenya’s democracy, integrity, and justice rests in your capable hands” and urged advocates to continue protecting the vulnerable while safeguarding themselves as they uphold the rule of law.