Court of Appeal Judge Fredrick Ochieng Is Dead

Chief Justice Martha Koome has announced the death of Court of Appeal Judge Fredrick Ochieng Andago, describing him as a “towering figure” in Kenya’s legal landscape.

Koome further acknowledged Andago as a key contributor to the country’s commercial law jurisprudence.

In a statement, Koome, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), expressed deep condolences to Justice Andago’s family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Judiciary community.

“We stand in solidarity with his family, friends, and the entire Judiciary community during this difficult period of mourning,” said Koome.

“We call for sensitivity and compassion as we share in this collective grief.”

Andago began his judicial career in 2003 as a Judge of the High Court, serving with distinction across multiple divisions and regions, including the Civil Division, Kitale, Kakamega, the Criminal Division, the Commercial and Admiralty Division, and Kisumu.

In 2022, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal, where he continued to contribute significantly to Kenya’s jurisprudence.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Andago had an illustrious legal practice spanning nearly two decades at the esteemed firm Kaplan & Stratton Advocates, where he built a reputation as a seasoned advocate in commercial law.

At the time of his passing, Andago was serving as the Chairperson of the Court Annexed Mediation (CAM) Taskforce, a key initiative of the Judiciary aimed at promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

The taskforce has been at the forefront of implementing Court-Annexed Mediation, an approach designed to ease case backlogs and enhance access to justice in line with Article 159(2)(c) of the Constitution.

“He will be fondly remembered as a towering figure in the development of Kenya’s commercial law jurisprudence and as a strong advocate for the promotion of alternative dispute resolution,” said Koome.

Since its introduction in 2016, Court-Annexed Mediation has evolved significantly.

Among its milestones is the gazettement of the Court Annexed Mediation Rules, 2022, which expanded the scope of mediation by including Private Mediation Agreements, marking a shift toward more flexible and accessible dispute resolution mechanisms