NAIROBI, Kenya – The Supreme Court and the wider Judiciary have paid glowing tribute to the late Justice Mohammed Kadhar Ibrahim, describing him as a principled jurist, a defender of human rights and a steadfast guardian of constitutionalism whose legacy will endure in Kenya’s justice system.
In an official message issued by Chief Justice Martha Koome on behalf of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court of Kenya and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), the country’s top judicial organs expressed profound sorrow following the passing of Justice Ibrahim, a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court and Commissioner of the JSC.
Justice Ibrahim, who joined the Judiciary in 2003 as a High Court Judge, was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2011 as part of the court’s inaugural bench following the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.
He was entrusted with the historic task of giving meaning and effect to Kenya’s transformative constitutional order at a critical moment in the country’s democratic journey.
Before joining the Bench, Justice Ibrahim had already distinguished himself as a trailblazing advocate and public-interest lawyer.
Admitted to the Bar in 1982, he became the first member of the Kenyan-Somali community to be admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
His legal career was deeply rooted in civic advocacy, access to justice and the defence of fundamental rights, working closely with organisations such as Kituo cha Sheria, the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and as a founding trustee of the Mwangaza Trust.
During Kenya’s struggle for multiparty democracy in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Justice Ibrahim stood firmly with pro-democracy forces, offering legal support to activists and marginalised communities.
His principled stance led to his detention without trial, an experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law and human dignity.
As a judge, he was widely respected for his intellectual rigour, calm impartiality and deep concern for the vulnerable.
He served as Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee on Elections and earlier led the ad hoc Judiciary Working Committee on Election Preparations, roles that significantly strengthened institutional preparedness and public confidence in the adjudication of electoral disputes.
In 2022, Justice Ibrahim was unanimously elected by his fellow Supreme Court judges to represent the Court at the Judicial Service Commission, where he championed judicial independence, accountability and integrity.
Chief Justice Koome described him as a jurist of exceptional humility and integrity, noting that his life exemplified fidelity to the Constitution, service to country and compassion for the voiceless.
The Judiciary called on Kenyans to show sensitivity and compassion as the legal fraternity, friends and family mourn the loss of a judge whose contribution bridged courageous advocacy and principled judging.
Justice Mohammed Kadhar Ibrahim will be remembered not only for the positions he held, but for the values he lived by and defended until his final days.
