Paul Kihara Kariuki: The life and legacy of Kenya's former Attorney General
Former Attorney General (AG) Paul Kihara Kariuki leaves behind a long career in private legal practice, the Judiciary and public service, having played an important role in shaping Kenya’s legal institutions.
Kenya has lost one of its foremost legal minds following the death of former Attorney General (AG) Paul Kihara Kariuki, who passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the age of 72.
Kariuki's death was confirmed by his family and Chief Justice Martha Koome, who described him as an accomplished lawyer and dedicated public servant.
Over several decades, he served in various positions within the country's legal system, rising from private legal practice to become a High Court judge, President of the Court of Appeal and, ultimately, Attorney General.
Born on May 11, 1954, in Kiambu County, he was the son of the late Bishop Obadiah Kariuki, one of the earliest African bishops in the Anglican Church of Kenya, and Lillian Wairimu, daughter of Senior Chief Koinange. He was the youngest child in the family.
His journey into the legal profession began at Nairobi School before he proceeded to the University of Nairobi (UoN) to study law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1977 and later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law (KSL).
From private practice to the Judiciary
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After completing his studies, Kariuki joined the Nairobi-based law firm Hamilton, Harrison and Mathews as a legal assistant, eventually rising through the ranks to become a partner.
In 1986, he co-founded Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates, where he continued practising law until 2000.
He subsequently took up the position of Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the KSL, a role that enabled him to contribute to the training of future legal professionals.
His career took a major turn in 2003 when former President Mwai Kibaki appointed him a High Court judge.
He later headed the Judicial Training Institute, where he played a key role in developing professional training programmes for judges, magistrates and other judicial officers.
In 2013, he was appointed President of the Court of Appeal, a position he held until 2018.
During his tenure at the court, he championed reforms aimed at improving its operations and expanding appellate services beyond Nairobi, helping make the justice system more accessible to people in other parts of the country.
His years as Kenya's Attorney General
Kariuki’s career reached another significant milestone in February 2018 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated him as Kenya's seventh Attorney General. He took the oath of office in April that year, replacing Githu Muigai.
As the country's chief legal adviser, he was responsible for advising state institutions on legal matters and representing the national government in major court cases.
His tenure coincided with several major legal and constitutional disputes, including court battles surrounding the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and disagreements between the Executive and the Judiciary over the appointment of judges.
He remained in office until October 2022, when Justin Muturi succeeded him.
Figures released by the State Law Office at the end of his tenure showed that 4,541 cases filed against the national government had been concluded. The office had also issued 3,119 legal opinions to ministries, departments and government agencies.
These figures reflected the scale of legal work handled by the office during his four-and-a-half years in charge.
Family, religious background
Away from public office, he came from a family with strong ties to the Anglican Church of Kenya.
His father, Bishop Obadiah Kariuki, was a respected church leader whose influence formed part of the family's religious background.
He also maintained close links with the church, serving as its Chancellor and later as an Honorary Legal Adviser, according to his official profile.
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