LILIAN WAKIIYA MWAURA
| NAME | LILIAN WAKIIYA MWAURA |
| AGE | N/A |
| GENDER | FEMALE |
| OCCUPATION | LAWYER |
Lilian Wakiiya Mwaura is a trailblazing Kenyan lawyer, senior counsel, and women’s rights activist, best known as the founder and first chairperson of FIDA-Kenya (Federation of Women Lawyers) in 1985.
She has dedicated her career to championing gender equality, serving as the National Council of Women of Kenya chairperson and in various leadership roles for decades.
Lilian Wakiiya Mwaura’s Career
The lawyer co-founded the law firm K. Mwaura & Co Advocates with her brother in 1975. In recognition of her distinguished legal service, she holds the prestigious title of Senior Counsel (SC).
Lilian was the first chairperson of FIDA Kenya, holding the position from 1985 to 1990.
Succeeding Professor Wangari Maathai, she became the chairperson of the National Council of Women of Kenya (NCWK) from 1987 to 1999.
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She was a Board member of the Green Belt Movement between 1990 and 2007.
Between 2000 and 2001, she served as the International Council of Women Representative to UNEP.
Wakiiya played a pivotal role as the national coordinator for the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women, organizing grassroots initiatives to ensure Kenyan women’s voices were heard.
Early Life and Educational Background
Born around 1947, the senior counsel was raised by a single mother after her father disappeared during the fight for independence in 1949.
She is the mother of Waithera Kabiru, a well-known digital marketing professional, and remains an active advocate for gender rights, continuing to practice law through her firm’s Malindi branch.
For her primary level education, she attended the Loreto Convent, Msongari, and joined the prestigious Loreto Girls’ High School in Limuru, an institution known for producing many of Kenya’s early female leaders.
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She proceeded to university to pursue a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and qualified as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a profession she has practiced for over 45 years.
Her extensive legal expertise and decades of service earned her the elite rank of Senior Counsel (SC), which is the highest honor for a legal practitioner in Kenya.
Achievements
She established the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Kenya in 1985 and served as its first chairperson for five years.
In August 2022, she was elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Counsel by the President.
During her tenure as Chairperson of NCWK from 1987 to 1999, she overhauled the organization, amended its constitution, and developed its first Five-Year Action Plan.
The senior counsel co-founded K. Mwaura & Co Advocates in 1975 and trained over 80 lawyers through pupillage at her firm.
She spearheaded the Kenyan process for the UN World Conference on Women, even organizing a “mini-Beijing” in Nairobi that drew 18,000 women.
Between 2000 and 2011, she represented women globally as the International Council of Women (ICW) representative to UNEP.
She was an original member and long-serving board director of the Green Belt Movement from 1990 to 2007.
Lilian expanded her impact across the continent as the President of FIDA for the African Region, including the Middle East.
Since 1987, she has served on the Board of Governors of Precious Blood School, directly influencing the education of thousands of young girls.
Her legacy continues through the Lilian Mwaura Foundation, which invests in women’s access to justice and leadership.
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