Lawyer Faith Mony Odhiambo is the new President-elect of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
Odhiambo will now succeed Eric Theuri who served as President from March 2022.

In elections held yesterday, Odhiambo beat five other candidates and emerged the winner.

According to the results released by IEBC, she has won in all the polling stations at Milimani and Supreme Court where she got 132 and 207 votes respectively

Over 20,000 lawyers across the country went to the polls yesterday to elect their next leaders in an election that is seen as a possible turning point for the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

Lawyers from various parts of the country thronged different polling stations to cast their votes with the main focus being the selection of a new president to succeed Eric Theuri whose term has officially ended.
At Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts, the main polling station, hundreds of LSK members started casting their votes from 8am in an exercise that ended at 5pm last evening.

Among those who cast their votes at Milimani Ceremonial Hall were the five candidates for president’s post Faith Odhiambo, Caroline Kamende, Peter Wanyama, Njoki Mboce and Bernard Ng’etich.

Various candidates varying for different posts at the LSK also showed up for the process which was highly guarded as the national polls are.

After voting Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna denied claims that some candidates are sponsored by politicians, quickly pointing out that he had not heard the rumour before the same was raised by a section of the press.

Endorse candidate

Sifuna said as a former council member, a current LSK member and the elected Senator for Nairobi, he had the right to endorse a candidate. This, he clarified, is not because he is a politician but because he has a right to.

“For me, I was very clear from the beginning that I endorse Faith Odhiambo because I thought she is best placed to continue with the work that we are doing together,” the lawyer said.

At the Supreme Court polling station, several lawyers including Azimio leader Kalonzo Musyoka turned out to cast their votes. Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni also cast his vote at Supreme Court polling station.

After casting their votes, various candidates and senior lawyers stated yesterday election was peacefully conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Results of the polls were scheduled to be out last evening

After voting outgoing LSK vice president Odhiambo reminded lawyers that the leaders and representatives they voted will determine the course of the society for the next two years.

“These next two years mean a lot for us particularly for the rule of law to ensure that the bar of the LSK raises itself back to a good standard and to ensure that we take care of the challenges that arise with the public but also the professionals,” she added.

Election process

Odhiambo noted that the election process was smooth save for the concern of some members being closed out for lack of identification.

“There is the concern and challenge of some lawyers being turned away because of ID. A bit more of sensitisation would be good to ensure that anyone who comes here doesn’t get disfranchised,” She said.

Another LSK president candidate Peter Wanyama also encouraged all advocates to turn up and vote.

“It is their democratic right to elect leaders of their choice. So please come to Milimani, go to the Supreme Court and all the courts in the Republic of Kenya so that your voice can be heard,” he said.

“The process is going on smoothly. All candidates have seen their agents and so at the end of the day, we are going to have free and fair elections.”

Also noting that the election process is both efficient and smooth, Senior Council Otiende Amollo observed the changes that have been in the LSK elections over time.

This is in terms of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) involvement which he said had made the process better.

“We introduced this idea that for better transparency we should include the IEBC but thirdly the elections have changed because now it is rigorous in terms of campaign, use of money and knowledge including regional and ethnic consideration,” he said.

“Those are some of the negative things that have come but there are more positive that have come. So far it has been smooth and I want to congratulate the advocates.”

The upcoming president, once elected, will mark the 51st individual to assume the prestigious role since the society’s inception.