KARIUKI MUIGUA
| NAME | KARIUKI MUIGUA |
| AGE | 63 YEARS |
| GENDER | MALE |
| OCCUPATION | ARBITRATOR |
Kariuki Muigua is a pre-eminent Kenyan legal scholar, author, and practitioner widely regarded as a leading authority in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Environmental Law.
He holds the prestigious rank of Senior Counsel (SC) in the Kenyan legal profession, which was conferred to him in December 2025.
Prof. Muigua holds various positions, including Managing Partner at Kariuki Muigua & Company Advocates, a Professor of Law at the University of Nairobi, and Kenya’s representative at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. He is a Fellow and former Africa Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
His son, James Ngotho Kariuki, is also a legal practitioner, and they both won major ADR awards in 2022, making it a family of champions.
He has authored several legal books, including “Settling Disputes through Arbitration in Kenya” and “Resolving Conflicts through Mediation in Kenya.”
Early Life and Educational Background
Prof. Kariuki Muigua was born on April 27, 1963, in Kenya and attended Muguga Primary School before eventually pursuing his legal career.
His extensive academic background is centered at the University of Nairobi (UoN), where he earned all his primary law degrees:
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB), he graduated in 1988.
- Master of Laws (LLM), which he earned in 2005, specializing in Environmental Law and Natural Resource Conflicts and Dispute Resolution.
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law, completed in 2011.
- Diploma in Law, obtained from the Kenya School of Law in 1989, following his LLB.
In addition to his university degrees, he holds several specialized professional qualifications:
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Diploma in Arbitration obtained in 2012 from the United Kingdom (UK).
Accredited Mediator, he was certified by the Mediation Training Institute (MTI) in 2015.
Professional Fellowships- he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (FCPS).
Kariuki Muguga’s Career and Achievements
Prof. Muigua began his legal career in 1990 as a State Counsel before founding Messrs. Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates in 1993, where he remains the Managing Partner.
He is also a Professor of Law at the University of Nairobi, specializing in Environmental Law and Conflict Management, and serves as a tutor for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
Internationally, he represents Kenya at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and has been involved with the Asian International Arbitration Centre.
He has chaired the Standards Tribunal and served on the committee for the restoration of the Westgate Shopping Mall.
In December 2025, Prof. Muigua was conferred the rank of Senior Counsel (SC) and has consistently received a Band 1 ranking in Dispute Resolution (Arbitrators) by Chambers and Partners Global Guide for eight consecutive years, from 2019-2026.
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His awards include the Pan-African Environmental Law Award of 2025, the Academic Champion of ADR Award received in 2024, the African Arbitrator of the Year Award achieved in 2022, and the inaugural CIArb Kenya Branch ADR Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2021.
He was also awarded the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) for his contributions to ADR and arbitration.
Muigua has published over 30 books, including recent works on environmental management and climate policy.
Family Background
He is married, and one of his prominent family members is his son, James Ngotho Kariukim, a highly successful legal practitioner and ADR expert in his own right.
The father and son made history in 2022 by winning top honors at the 3rd African Arbitration Awards, with Prof. Muigua as “African Arbitrator of the Year” and James as “Africa’s Young Arbitration Practitioner of the Year”.
James is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and has served as the Chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Members Group in Kenya.
His father, Prof. Ngotho wa Kariuki, was a renowned tax expert, political activist, and human rights figure who played a significant role in Kenya’s multi-party democracy movement.
Net worth
There is no publicly verified figure for Prof. Kariuki Muigua’s personal net worth, as he is a private citizen and practitioner.
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