Lawyer Katwa Kigen Withdraws From IEBC Commissioner Race

Lawyer Katwa Kigen, who has represented President William Ruto in several high-profile cases, has withdrawn from the ongoing interviews for commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Kigen, who was expected to appear before the IEBC selection panel on Thursday, said he decided to pull out to avoid what he termed as unnecessary attention that could interfere with the commission’s core mandate.

“I want to avoid ‘unnecessary diversion’ from the commission’s critical role,” said Kigen, who has been one of President Ruto’s most trusted legal advisors for more than two decades.

His withdrawal comes amid concerns raised from various quarters about the independence and fairness of the electoral body if a close associate of the head of state were to join it.

Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi was among those who raised questions about Kigen’s candidature.

“We have a problem of accountability and integrity in Kenya. Why would the President’s known advocate for over 20 years apply to serve in an IEBC to oversee an election where the President will be a candidate?” he asked.

Kigen was a key figure in President Ruto’s legal team during the 2022 presidential petition at the Supreme Court.

He helped defend Ruto’s win against challenges from the opposition.

ICC case

Kigen also represented Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), where the president was eventually acquitted.

He also played a leading role in these cases, which boosted his standing in legal and political circles. The senior counsel has been in legal practice for over two decades.

He is the co-founder of Katwa and Kemboy Advocates, a Nairobi-based law firm that has been in operation for 21 years.

Admitted to the bar in 1996, Kigen has handled cases in various fields, including civil litigation, land disputes, banking, medical negligence, employment, and international trade.

His expertise also covers criminal law, arbitration, environmental law, and judicial review.

Kigen has argued cases before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Employment and Labour Relations Court, and several tribunals, as well as handling matters of international criminal law.

Among the notable cases Kigen has worked on is defending former KASS FM radio presenter Joshua Sang at the ICC over post-election violence charges. Sang was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Kigen also represented journalist Jacque Maribe in the murder case involving businesswoman Monica Kimani. Maribe was acquitted after the court found no evidence directly linking her to the crime.

He further represented former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich in the Arror and Kimwarer dam cases, where Rotich was cleared of corruption charges related to the Sh63 billion project.

Academically, Kigen holds both a Master of Laws (LL.M.) and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B. Hons) from the University of Nairobi.

He also holds a diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law.