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Mwaura Kabata: Why I'm fit to be the next LSK president
What you need to know:
- Mr Kabata says he has played a central role in this renewed activism and intends to push the agenda forward if elected.
- Having served within LSK structures for the past eight years, Kabata believes his experience gives him a distinct advantage.
Mr Mwaura Kabata, the current vice president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), is banking on the gains made over the past two years to propel him to the helm of the society.
Under the leadership of outgoing president Faith Odhiambo, LSK has repositioned itself as a vocal defender of democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law.
The society has been at the forefront of filing petitions challenging unconstitutional legislation, suing the government over enforced disappearances, seeking the production of abducted youths, and consistently holding press conferences to condemn unlawful state actions.
Law Society of Kenya vice president Mwaura Kabata addresses the media at LSK headquarters in Nairobi on April 30, 2025.
Mr Kabata says he has played a central role in this renewed activism and intends to push the agenda forward if elected.
Having served within LSK structures for the past eight years — first as a general council member and later as vice president — he believes his experience gives him a distinct advantage.
“As an insider,” he said, “I am best placed to continue with this journey of progress, anchored on institutional memory and proven leadership.”
The advocate says he is proud of his contribution to the society and is relying on the relationships he has built across LSK branches nationwide to secure the votes needed to succeed Ms Odhiambo as the 52nd president of the society.
“When I look back, I am proud of my efforts because I didn’t wait until I was comfortable. I didn’t wait until my practice was established enough. I gave my youth to our society. And I am still here, ready to give more to our professional home,” he said.
According to Mr Kabata, the society has enjoyed stability under the current leadership, with its standing as what he describes as the “last defender of democracy and the rule of law” at an all-time high.
If elected, he says his mission will focus on strengthening LSK branches, uniting the bar, and seizing emerging opportunities to further entrench the society as a formidable defender of constitutionalism. He also wants to amplify LSK’s collective voice against impunity, unconstitutional actions, and threats to the rule of law.
With the 2027 General Election on the horizon, Mr Kabata says he will position the society as a key guardian of electoral justice and accountability before, during, and after the polls. He noted that LSK must remain vigilant as electoral reforms are proposed and implemented.
Under his leadership, he says the society will closely monitor and proactively contribute to intended changes to the legal framework governing elections, political parties, electoral dispute resolution, boundary delimitation, procurement, and the use of electoral technology.
Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo (center) flanked by vice president Mwaura Kabata (second right) and members of the council address journalists at LSK offices in Nairobi on June 18, 2025.
Beyond institutional leadership, Mr Kabata has remained active in public interest litigation. Among the notable cases he has handled is a petition he filed jointly with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino seeking to bar Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) from participating in political campaigns.
The case challenges provisions of the Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, which exempt CSs and county executive committee members from political restrictions.
In the petition, which is yet to be determined, the two argue that the exemption is unconstitutional and creates a clear conflict of interest.
Mr Kabata was also involved in a case in which the High Court quashed a directive issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya ordering all television and radio stations to cease live coverage of the June 25 public demonstrations.
The court found the directive illegal and unconstitutional, quashed it in its entirety, and prohibited the authority and any other state agency from enforcing it.
He also participated in litigation that blocked the implementation of a law compelling advocates to report suspicious financial transactions involving their clients. Mr Kabata challenged the provisions, arguing that they erode advocate-client privilege and interfere with lawyers’ professional duties.
Specifically, section 14(b) of the law imposes obligations on financial intermediaries — including advocates, notaries, partners, and their employees — to collect and retain information verifying the identities of those on whose behalf money is paid or received.
He argued that the law improperly empowered Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) to search and seize privileged material from advocates, their law firms, homes, or workplaces.
Mr Kabata was also actively involved in cases arising from the abduction of youths during the June 25, 2024 and 2025 Gen Z demonstrations, reinforcing his profile as a lawyer deeply engaged in the defence of civil liberties.
