NAIROBI, Kenya – The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a case presented by a lawyer from Ahmednasir Abdullahi Advocates LLP, a firm owned by prominent lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi.
The court upheld the ban on Senior Counsel Ahmednasir and his legal team from appearing before it, maintaining that the prohibition remains effective.
Chief Justice Martha Koome, addressing the plea, stressed that the restriction, imposed in January 2024, is still valid.
“We made a decision last year, January, where all the judges of this court recused themselves from hearing any matter from the firm of Ahmednasir or his employees or any other person holding brief for the firm. The reasons for recusal were cited in that matter. So when the matter was called out this morning, we noted that the firm of Ahmednasir is still on record,” noted Chief Justice Koome.
The court’s decision stems from a comprehensive recusal by all its judges, who withdrew from hearing any cases involving Ahmednasir’s firm.
This unprecedented move, rooted in concerns detailed in the January 2024 ruling, effectively barred the firm from Supreme Court proceedings.
In light of the ongoing ban, the court has now directed the petitioner to clarify how they wish to proceed with the case, given the constraints on representation.
The petitioner is required to appear within 14 days to present their plan for moving forward, or the existing order of stay will be automatically vacated.
The matter is scheduled for a hearing in the court’s next session, providing a narrow window for resolution while the ban remains in effect.
