Saturday 15th August, 2026 09:39 PM|
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has backed lawyers to take charge of Kenya’s leadership, arguing that the country needs leaders committed to constitutionalism, human rights and the rule of law.
Speaking in Mombasa on Saturday, August 15, 2026, during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) conference, Sifuna said Kenya’s problems were largely a “software problem” that could be addressed by professionals committed to constitutional governance.
Sifuna took a swipe at President William Ruto while comparing the professional backgrounds of Kenya’s presidents, describing Ruto as a botanist.
“William is a botanist, which, for your information, is my favourite brand of gin,” Sifuna said.
He argued that if Kenyans were looking for a government that respects human rights and the rule of law, lawyers were best placed to provide the leadership needed to address the country’s challenges.
“So, I am asking myself, if indeed what Kenyans are telling me is right, that we have a software problem, that we need to retrace our steps back to constitutionalism and the rule of law, that they want a government that respects human rights and human life, who better to give the job than a member of this noble profession?” he posed.
Sifuna rallies lawyers
Sifuna urged members of the legal profession to take a more active role in the country’s political leadership instead of limiting themselves to reviewing government contracts.
“It’s time for lawyers to be in charge of the country, not just reviewing FIDIC and PPP contracts,” he said.
He further called on the LSK to support the push, saying lawyers had a role to play in restoring constitutionalism and the rule of law.
“I appeal to all members of the LSK to help us on this one. We need your support, and I am asking for your support as the Bar. This is your cause,” Sifuna said.
He also linked the proposed political leadership shift to development, saying engineers would still have a role to play in building major infrastructure projects once lawyers had helped address the country’s governance challenges.
LSK pushes for judicial accountability
Sifuna’s remarks come amid heightened debate within the legal profession over judicial accountability and the rule of law.
LSK President Charles Kanjama has defended the society’s targeted boycott of specific judges and judicial officers, describing it as a lawful response to concerns over judicial integrity.
Kanjama said the society had a constitutional and statutory responsibility to advocate for an accountable, transparent and corruption-free judiciary.
“The Bar will vigorously defend its constitutional mandate to advocate for an accountable, transparent and uncorrupted judiciary,” Kanjama said in a statement issued on July 31, 2026.
Sifuna’s remarks in Mombasa therefore come at a time when lawyers are increasingly placing constitutionalism, judicial accountability and the rule of law at the centre of national debate ahead of the 2027 General Election.
