Ahmednasir Refuses Return to Supreme Court Despite Ban Lift

Senior Counsel Ahmednassir Abdullahi has said he will not resume legal practice before the Supreme Court, despite the court lifting a two-year ban on him and his law firm.

He said his decision is rooted not in personal grievance but in what he described as deep ideological and institutional concerns about the country’s apex court.

The Supreme Court on Thursday vacated orders issued on January 23, 2024, which had barred the outspoken lawyer and his law firm from appearing before the court — a move he has consistently described as unconstitutional and unjustified.

While welcoming the lifting of the ban, Ahmednassir said the decision alone does not address the fundamental issues he raised against the court.

“My difference with the court has never been personal. It is principled, ideological and doctrinal,” he said, adding that those differences “remain unresolved.”

He accused the court of failing to acknowledge wrongdoing in imposing the ban and argued that the ruling did not commit the judges to any institutional reforms.

According to Ahmednassir, he cannot return to a court where “seven individuals can decide who practices before it, the constitution notwithstanding.”

He said the Supreme Court is facing a legitimacy crisis arising from what he termed unresolved questions of integrity and competence — concerns he insists must be openly addressed to restore public confidence in the institution.

He also cited his self-declared crusade against what he calls “JurisPesa” — an alleged culture of corruption within the Judiciary.

“If I go back to practice before the Supreme Court, who will be left to fight JurisPesa in our courts?” he asked, saying he has chosen to remain outside the system in order to continue speaking freely against judicial vices.

Ahmednassir described his decision as a personal sacrifice made in the public interest, arguing that joining what he termed the legal profession’s “status quo” would weaken efforts to confront corruption within the courts.

He, however, welcomed the fact that his partners and associates are now free to practice before the Supreme Court following the lifting of the ban.

The senior counsel also thanked lawyers Paul Muite SC, Fred Ngatia SC and Dennis Mosota for initiating efforts that led to the lifting of the ban, praising their professionalism and commitment.

Ahmednassir said he remains ready to support judicial reforms, citing his experience as a former Law Society of Kenya chairperson and former Judicial Service Commission member.

“I am at her service, ready to help if and when she decides to reform the courts and fight JurisPESA judges,” he said.

Despite the court’s decision, Ahmednassir maintained that the lifting of the ban amounts to an “appeasement ploy” and insisted that meaningful reforms — not procedural relief — is the only path towards restoring the Supreme Court’s integrity and prestige.