- Odhiambo will serve on a two-year renewable term as the 51st LSK president.
- Until the elections, Odhiambo was serving as the council's Vice President.
Image: NELSON HAVI/X
Former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi has advised newly elected president Faith Odhiambo to play by the book during her stay in office.
Odhiambo beat a field of four competitors to emerge winner of the presidential contest with 3,113 votes.
She will serve on a two-year renewable term as the 51st LSK president.
“Congratulations Madam President, Faith Odhiambo. Serve us with distinction. Just remember that in this office, one’s popularity starts waning on the day of the oath. Always do the right thing. If in doubt, say no,” Havi said in a statement on X.
Until the elections, Odhiambo was serving as the council’s Vice President.
Her election has now broken the deadlock that has seen the LSK led by men over the last 20 years.
Raychelle Omamo was the last woman to hold the top LSK job from 2001 to 2003.
The most recent presidents were Isaac Okero (2016-2018); Allen Gichuhi (2018-2020); Nelson Havi (2020-2021) and outgoing president Eric Theuri (2022-2024).
ODM leader Raila Odinga and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna are among those who endorsed Odhambo's candidature.
Other candidates who sought to replace Theuri included Peter Wanyama who came came in second with 2,165 votes, Carolyne Kamende (888), Harriet Mboche (511) and Bernard Ngetich (833 ).
Havi, who exited in January 2022, was rooting for Kamende, a specialist in Family, Constitutional, Criminal, Corporate and Commercial Law.
Kamende narrowly lost to Theuri two years ago in a hotly contested battle.
Theuri’s term will lapse on March 25, 2024. The position was, however, declared vacant on December 5, 2023, as per the LSK General Regulations, 2020.
The regulations require that the position is declared vacant at least three months before the 15th day of March of the year the elections are scheduled to be held.
To be eligible for election as LSK president or vice president, one ought to be a member or former member of the council or a member qualified to be a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Thursday’s elections were conducted across the country and overseen by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Other positions where new members were elected included vice president and council members who included three representatives of the general membership of the society, four upcountry representatives, three Nairobi representatives, and one Coast representative.
Members also elected LSK male representatives to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Exiting LSK President Theuri is seeking that mandate.