LSK Hits Back at State Over Protest Claims, Defends Constitutional Role
Nairobi – The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has rejected claims from government officials suggesting it played a partisan role in the June 25 protests that turned deadly in Nairobi and other parts of the country. In a statement released Friday, LSK President Faith Odhiambo dismissed the accusations as false, dangerous, and politically motivated.
“The notion that the Law Society advanced any political agenda is ill-advised balderdash,” Odhiambo said. “Our allegiance as a Society lies squarely with the Constitution, the public interest, and our membership.”
The June 25 protests, which erupted in opposition to the now-suspended Finance Bill 2024, led to the deaths of at least sixteen people, with dozens more injured. The Interior Ministry later described the protests as an attempted coup, drawing widespread criticism from civil society and legal organizations.
Odhiambo denounced those characterizations as inflammatory and accused senior officials of attempting to divert public attention from unlawful police conduct. She said the LSK had reviewed statements from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and others, whom she accused of justifying violence and disregarding court orders.
Without naming Murkomen directly, she reminded him of his legal obligations. “We remind Murkomen that as a State officer and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, he is bound by his constitutional duties and oath of office, which demand fidelity to the law,” she said.
Murkomen previously stated he would not comply with Justice Chacha Mwita’s order to restore media outlets that had been shut down during the protests, citing national security concerns. Odhiambo said such defiance undermines the judiciary and breaches the rule of law.
She condemned any approval or tolerance of shoot-to-kill tactics by law enforcement. “The notion that shoot-to-kill orders are acceptable is an absolute dereliction of duty,” Odhiambo said. “Any unjustified act of aggression, disproportionate use of force, or extrajudicial killing carried out under such illegal directives will be deemed a premeditated crime.”
The LSK warned that police officers who violate constitutional rights would be held personally accountable, regardless of whether they acted on orders.
While calling on youth to remain peaceful and lawful in protest, Odhiambo reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to protecting democratic rights and constitutional integrity. “We cannot entertain nefarious threats on the lives and well-being of the sovereign people,” she said.
The LSK emphasized that it would continue to call out state overreach and advocate for justice, urging public officials to respect their legal obligations and uphold human rights.
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