Weta, Noordin, PLO listed for Senior Counsel conferment

By Newsflash Reporter

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has been proposed for conferment of the coveted Senior Counsel (SC) title, placing him among a distinguished group of 54 advocates shortlisted by the Committee on Senior Counsel in its 2025 cycle.

Wetangula, who has practised law for decades and built a profile spanning litigation, diplomacy and national politics, appears on a list featuring some of Kenya’s most influential legal, governance and public service figures.

The Committee on Senior Counsel, chaired by Philip K. Murgor, SC, announced the names after concluding a rigorous review of 105 applications submitted following the call for entries on September 2, 2025. The committee is established under Rule 3 of the Advocates (Senior Counsel Conferment and Privileges) Rules, 2011 (Revised 2017), and consists of senior counsel representatives, judges from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court, as well as officials from the Office of the Attorney-General and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

The panel comprises Murgor; Joyce Majiwa, SC; Ahmednasir Abdullahi, SC; Attorney-General representative Dorcas Oduor, SC; LSK President Faith Odhiambo; Supreme Court Judge William Ouko; Court of Appeal Judge Gatembu Kairu; High Court Judge Nduma Mathews Nderi; and LSK representatives Chrispine Maondo and Wanjiru Ngige.

Wetangula headlines star-studded roster

Wetangula, whose admission number is P.105/1285/83, appears on the list alongside other towering legal figures, including former IEBC chair and current IPOA boss Ahmed Issack Hassan; Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Mohamed Haji; former Law Society of Kenya president Nelson Andayi Havi; renowned legal scholar and elections law expert Elisha Zebedee Ongoya; leading constitutional litigator Dr. Muthomi Thiankolu; and Immaculate Muringo Kassait, the Chief Executive Officer at the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

The list also includes former Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto (now President William Ruto’s legal adviser), and Ambassador Koki Muli Grignon, a respected figure in governance and diplomacy.

These nominees—drawn from wide-ranging fields such as public service, academia, litigation, corporate law, digital regulation and international governance—represent diverse pathways through which advocates have shaped Kenya’s legal and institutional development.

Other high-profile personalities on the list include Prof. Patrick Lumumba (PLO), Prof. Kariuki Muigua, former Makueni Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, and senior legal figures such as Ambrose Rachier, Richard Omwela, James Ochieng Oduol, Clement Muturi Kigano and Nancy Wakarima Karigithu.

According to the committee, its decision was based on an assessment guided by Rules 7 and 10 of the Senior Counsel Conferment Regulations, which outline criteria such as integrity, advocacy excellence, professional experience, contribution to legal scholarship, public service, and distinguished achievement within the profession.

Committee outlines process and criteria

In a formal communication dated December 4, 2025, the committee notified applicants of its decision, emphasizing adherence to established legal procedures. The letter underlined that the committee reviewed submissions in meetings held on December 3, 2025, and applied the standards set out in the governing regulations.

The statement read in part:
“On 3rd December 2025, the Committee considered the applications pursuant to Rules 7 and 10 of the Advocates (Senior Counsel Conferment and Privileges) Rules, 2011 Rev.2017, and recommended the following advocates for conferment of the rank of Senior Counsel.”

The committee further noted that its communication to applicants was in line with Rule 11(2), which requires the committee to notify applicants of its recommendations before the final confirmation stage. The next step involves the Chief Justice, who officially confers the rank after reviewing the recommendations.

The 2025 list captures both veterans of the bar and newer-generation legal minds who have demonstrated exceptional influence in their respective practice areas.

Each of the 54 advocates proposed has a unique track record. For instance, Hassan Nunow Lakicha, Praxedes Tororey, Dr. Hosea Kimutai Kili, Dr. Mercy Deche, Adil Khawaja, and Rose Waithera Njoroge are among the seasoned practitioners whose names feature prominently.

For Wetangula, the nomination marks another milestone in a career that has combined high-ranking political service with deep legal roots. Before becoming Speaker, he served as a cabinet minister, senator and diplomat, all while maintaining a longstanding legal practice that dates back to the 1980s. His anticipated rise to Senior Counsel would formalize his standing among the country’s most eminent advocates.

The conferment of the Senior Counsel title is one of the highest honours accorded to a Kenyan lawyer, reflecting mastery of advocacy, ethical leadership, and contribution to public or professional life. Once the Chief Justice makes the final declaration, the newly admitted Senior Counsel class of 2025 will join a revered cadre of legal leaders entrusted with upholding the heritage, prestige and ethical traditions of the bar.