KERIAKO TOBIKO
| NAME | KERIAKO TOBIKO |
| AGE | 62 YEARS |
| GENDER | MALE |
| OCCUPATION | LAWYER |
Keriako Tobiko is a prominent Kenyan lawyer who previously served as the Director of Public Prosecutions of Kenya.
He is a former Cabinet Secretary for Environment and a public official who has held high-ranking positions in the country’s judiciary and executive branches.
Currently, Tobiko serves as a Senior Advisor on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change for the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).
Early Life and Educational Background
Keriako Tobiko was born on December 12, 1964, in Kajiado, Kenya, and was raised in a traditional Maasai household, initially balancing his early education with responsibilities as a herdsboy.
Tobiko began his primary education at Mashuru Primary School and transitioned to Athi-River Secondary School for his O-level examinations, but his academic potential was fully realized at Kanyakine High School in Meru, where he completed his A-levels in 1984, emerging as the top student nationally that year and winning the Gandhi Smarak Award for his performance.
The scholar joined the University of Nairobi between 1986 and 1989, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with First Class Honours.
Following his undergraduate success, he received a Barclays Cambridge Commonwealth Scholarship between 1990 and 1991 to study in the United Kingdom at the University of Cambridge, where he obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) in Corporate Law and Finance.
He is a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society (FCCS) and was awarded the Pegasus Cambridge Scholarship.
The senior counsel returned to Kenya in 1991 and briefly lectured at the University of Nairobi before entering private practice and eventually public service.
Career Background and Achievements
- Director of Public Prosecutions, 2011- 2018
He was the first person to hold this office as an independent constitutional body under Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.
He is credited with institutional reforms that expanded the prosecution service from 13 offices to 47 counties.
While in this position, he championed the development of standard operating procedures and a rapid reference guide for investigating electoral offenses, saying they helped the country avoid a crisis following the 2017 elections.
The lawyer oversaw the prosecution of approximately 12,000 cases, including those involving senior government ministers.
In 2015, he received the inaugural Outstanding Public Service Award for his reforms at the ODPP.
- Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry, 2018- 2022
Appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, he became a prominent and outspoken advocate for environmental conservation.
Here, he led the aggressive reclamation of over 33,000 hectares of the Maasai Mau Forest, overseeing the eviction of illegal settlers to preserve one of Kenya’s primary water towers.
The lawyer also spearheaded the rehabilitation of Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi, transforming the former dumpsite into a secure public green space.
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Tobiko championed the national target of planting 2 billion trees by 2022 to achieve 10% forest cover, earning an award, the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH), for his exemplary public service.
- Regional Advisory and Legal Career, 2023- Present
Since April 2025, the lawyer has held a senior advisory role at AUDA-NEPAD in South Africa, focusing on continental climate policy, while maintaining the rank of Senior Counsel (SC).
Tobiko also represented the Government of Kenya at the International Criminal Court (ICC) during proceedings related to the 2007/08 post-election violence.
Keriako Tobiko’s Family Background
Being the son of a respected community elder, the late Mzee Tobiko ole Paloshe, one of his siblings, Peris Tobiko is a well-known politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Kajiado East and was later appointed as a Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), making history as the first woman from the Maasai community to be elected to Parliament.
Keriako is married to Jane Namunyak Tobiko, and the couple has children, including their eldest son, Lemetki Tobiko, who has occasionally appeared in the media during family milestones.
Net Worth
In 2018, during his vetting for the position of Cabinet Secretary, Tobiko declared a net worth of KSh 360 million, attributing his wealth to personal investments, including real estate, Agriculture and livestock, both traditional and commercial.
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