The race to succeed Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo is taking shape ahead of the February 19 elections, with three senior advocates emerging as the leading contenders.
Current LSK vice-president Mwaura Kabata, former Nairobi branch chair Charles Kanjama, and past runner-up Peter Wanyama are vying to take over the leadership of the professional body.
The candidates have been traversing the country to court support from advocates, with a particular focus on the junior bar, which played a decisive role in Odhiambo’s victory in the last election cycle. At the same time, they are seeking to reassure senior members amid heightened debate over the direction of the Society.
Key issues dominating the campaign include allegations of corruption within the judiciary, concerns over governance and financial management at the LSK, and claims of government interference in the affairs of the Society. The campaigns have also been marked by heightened scrutiny of candidates’ past positions, professional records and leadership experience.
Charles Kanjama
Senior Counsel Charles Kanjama brings more than two decades of legal practice and extensive experience within LSK leadership structures to the contest.
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Kanjama is the Managing Partner of Muma & Kanjama Advocates, where he heads the dispute resolution department. He has practised law for over 20 years, handling matters across all levels of courts and tribunals in Kenya, including the Supreme Court.
Within the LSK, Kanjama previously served as a Council Member and Treasurer from 2012 to 2014. He later served as the inaugural chairperson of the LSK Nairobi Branch from 2016 to 2020, and as chair of the LSK Caucus of Branch Chairs from 2017 to 2020.
He was formally conferred the rank and dignity of Senior Counsel (SC) in August 2022 by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. The lawyer was among a cohort of eight distinguished lawyers recognized at that time for their exemplary service and contribution to the legal profession.
Beyond litigation, Kanjama holds multiple professional qualifications, including Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya), Certified Professional Mediator, Certified Secretary, and Certified Accountant.
He currently chairs the Nairobi Legal Awards Trust, an initiative established by LSK Nairobi to recognise excellence within the legal profession.
Kanjama is campaigning on a platform centred on strengthening the rule of law, integrity within the profession, member welfare, and structured engagement with stakeholders.
His candidacy, however, has attracted scrutiny over his past public positions, particularly on social policy matters, which some members have raised as a point of debate.
Mwaura Kabata
LSK vice-president Mwaura Kabata is seeking to build on his role within the current leadership and continue what he describes as the Society’s advocacy-driven agenda under Faith Odhiambo.
Kabata is a senior partner at Alakonya Law LLP, where he leads the dispute resolution department. He has more than five years of practice experience, with a focus on litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a Postgraduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law, and advanced training in International Criminal Justice from Leiden University and International Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in The Hague.
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Kabata has cited his involvement in public-interest cases, including legal actions arising from arrests during the Gen Z protests of 2024 and 2025, as evidence of his commitment to defending constitutional rights and civil liberties.
Campaigning under the slogan “A Brave, Bold and Boundless LSK,” Kabata has pledged to strengthen the rule of law, promote human rights, and deepen unity within the legal fraternity, with particular emphasis on advancing the welfare of young lawyers.
His candidacy, however, is being closely examined in light of his tenure as vice-president, with some members questioning how much change an insider can deliver.
Peter Wanyama
Peter Wanyama, a senior partner at Manyonge Wanyama & Associates LLP, is making a second attempt at the LSK presidency after finishing runner-up in the previous elections.
With more than 18 years of legal practice, Wanyama has built a career largely focused on policy review, legislative drafting and devolution-related litigation.
He has participated in the drafting of 32 statutes for government ministries and agencies and has worked on national and international law reform consultancies across sectors including agriculture, energy, telecommunications, public procurement, financial services, tourism and governance.
Wanyama has facilitated more than 185 training seminars on policy and legislative development, land law, competition law and devolution. He has also served as a trainer for institutions including the Kenya School of Law, LSK, Council of Governors, Kenya Institute of Supplies Management, ESAMI and Moi University.
His campaign is anchored on what he describes as a shift from statements to tangible action, with a strong focus on the welfare and economic sustainability of advocates, particularly younger lawyers.
Wanyama has consistently argued that the legal profession faces a widening gap between legal training and viable employment opportunities, a challenge he believes the LSK must address more decisively.
He has positioned his manifesto as one aimed at protecting existing opportunities within the profession while expanding new areas of legal practice beyond traditional litigation.
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