The Law Society of Kenya has declared Friday, July 10, 2026, a Day of National Solidarity for the legal profession and announced a Nationwide Advocates’ March for Justice following the deaths of advocates Edward Muthee Kariuki and Esther Wairimu Keige.
Speaking outside LSK Headquarters,July 8, 2026, LSK President Charles Kanjama said it had received with “profound grief and outrage” confirmation of the death of Advocate Esther Wairimu Keige after weeks of anxious searching. The Society noted that her death came less than 48 hours after Advocate Edward Muthee Kariuki was found murdered outside his residence in Athi River on July 5.
The Society said the deaths of two advocates within a single week were not an isolated coincidence but amounted to an attack on the legal profession, the administration of justice and the rule of law. It warned that the killings send a chilling message to advocates, judicial officers and all those entrusted with defending the public interest.
Condemning the killings in the strongest terms, Senior Councel Charles Kanjama called on the State to fulfil its constitutional obligation to protect life, uphold the rule of law and ensure those responsible are brought to justice without delay.
The Society further urged investigating agencies to conduct thorough, professional, impartial and expeditious investigations and appealed to anyone with information that could assist investigators to cooperate fully with the authorities.
Among its key demands, LSK called for the immediate establishment of a high-level multi-agency investigative team comprising the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and other relevant agencies to investigate the deaths, identify perpetrators, collaborators and anyone who may have orchestrated the crimes.
It also demanded a comprehensive forensic audit of all contested land acquisition, leasing and alienation matters handled by the Kenya Forest Service Legal Department over the past 12 months to determine whether Advocate Esther Wairimu Keige’s death was connected to her official duties and identify any individuals or entities that may have benefited.
Additionally, the LSK President called for enhanced security measures for advocates serving in public institutions and regulatory bodies and sought a transparent mechanism through which the DCI, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and other State agencies would provide regular updates on investigations, arrests and prosecutions.
In honour of the departed advocates and in defence of the rule of law, LSK declared Friday, July 10, a day of national solidarity and announced a Nationwide Advocates’ March for Justice.
Advocates will assemble at the Milimani Law Courts parking from 9:00 a.m., with the procession commencing at 9:30 a.m. Participants have been requested to attend in formal attire and wear a purple ribbon as a symbol of remembrance and unity. Similar marches will be held simultaneously across all LSK regional branches.
The peaceful procession in Nairobi will proceed from Milimani Law Courts to the National Police Service Headquarters, where LSK will present a petition to the Inspector-General of Police demanding urgent action to guarantee the safety of advocates and expedite investigations into the killings.
