The legal fraternity was thrown into mourning on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, following the death of Court of Appeal Judge Fredrick Ochieng Andago.
Chief Justice Martha Koome confirmed the news, describing him as a towering figure in Kenya’s jurisprudence and a champion of judicial reforms.
Justice Andago, who was based at the Nakuru Law Courts, had been serving as a Judge of the Court of Appeal since 2022.
Born in Kenya, Andago pursued law at the University of Nairobi, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree before proceeding to the Kenya School of Law for a Postgraduate Diploma in Law.
He was admitted to the Roll of Advocates in 1983, marking the formal start of a legal career that would span several decades.
His early professional years were spent at Kaplan & Stratton Advocates, one of the country’s leading commercial law firms.
He joined the firm in 1982 as a legal assistant and became a partner in 1987, specialising in civil and commercial litigation and earning a reputation as a seasoned advocate.
In 2003, Andago made the transition from private practice to the Bench when he was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Kenya.
Over the next two decades, he served in multiple divisions and stations, including the Civil Division, the Criminal Division, the Commercial and Admiralty Division in Nairobi, as well as High Courts in Kitale, Kakamega, and Kisumu.
Colleagues recall him as a fair and industrious judge with a deep grasp of the law and an ability to distil complex issues into clear, reasoned judgments.
His elevation to the Court of Appeal in 2022 was widely welcomed within the legal fraternity.
From the appellate bench, he continued shaping Kenyan jurisprudence, particularly in the area of commercial law.
At the time of his death, he was also chairing the Judiciary’s Court-Annexed Mediation (CAM) Taskforce, which is charged with rolling out mediation within court processes to ease case backlogs and improve access to justice in line with Article 159 of the Constitution.
Justice Andago had earlier chaired the ADR Operational Committee that launched the court-annexed mediation pilot project in 2016, demonstrating his long-standing commitment to alternative dispute resolution.
Beyond the courtroom, Andago was active in judicial leadership and professional associations.
He served as President of the Kenya Judges and Magistrates Association (KMJA) and as President of the East African Magistrates and Judges Association (EAMJA), positions that underscored his influence and dedication to strengthening the judiciary across the region.
Justice Fredrick Ochieng Andago leaves behind a rich legacy of service, reform, and mentorship.
His career path from advocate to High Court judge and ultimately to the appellate bench reflects a lifelong commitment to justice and the rule of law.
Funeral and memorial arrangements are to be announced by his family and the Judiciary in due course, but tributes have already begun pouring in from across Kenya’s legal community, honoring a jurist whose work has left a lasting imprint on the country’s justice system.
