Ruto’s lawyer Katwa Kigen pulls out of IEBC commissioner interviews
Kigen, who was to appear before the interviewing panel earlier today, said the unnecessary attention he is likely to attract would interfere with the body's core mandate.
President William Ruto’s long-time lawyer, Katwa Kigen, has pulled out of the ongoing interviews for those interested in becoming Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) commissioners in order to avoid what he termed as unnecessary attention.
Kigen, who was to appear before the interviewing panel earlier today, said the unnecessary attention would interfere with the IEBC’s core mandate.
“I want to avoid unnecessary diversion from the commission’s critical role,” he said.
His withdrawal came hours after former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi raised queries about the likely impact on the independence and fairness of the electoral body if a close associate of the head of state was to join it.
“We have a problem of accountability and integrity in Kenya. Why would the President’s known advocate for over 20 years apply to serve in the IEBC to oversee an election where the President will be a candidate?” Havi queried.
The lawyer has represented President William Ruto and has been one of his most trusted counsel for over two decades.
He was a key figure in President Ruto’s legal team during the 2022 presidential election petition at the Supreme Court.
He helped defend Ruto’s win against challenges from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya candidate Raila Odinga.
Kigen also represented Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), where the president was eventually dropped after key witnesses failed to testify.
In 2023, he was the lawyer for then deputy president-elect Ruto in a petition challenging then president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta’s win, also by Raila but which they won, and also took part in a similar one in 2017 when the Supreme Court, in a historic decision, nullified their re-election.
However, Raila declined to take part in a repeat election, ensuring their win.
Kigen’s leading role in these and other court matters have boosted his standing in legal and political circles. The senior counsel has been in legal practice for over two decades.
He is the co-founder of Katwa and Kemboy Advocates, a Nairobi-based law firm that has been in operation for 21 years.
Kigen was admitted to the bar in 1996 and has handled cases in various fields, including civil litigation, land disputes, banking, medical negligence, employment, and international trade.
His expertise also covers criminal law, arbitration, environmental law, and judicial review.
He has argued and defended cases at the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Employment and Labour Relations Court, and several tribunals, as well as handling matters of international criminal law.
