Supreme Court Judge Mohammed Ibrahim, a distinguished jurist and a pioneering figure in Kenya’s legal landscape, has died at the age of 69 after battling an illness. The Judiciary confirmed his passing on Wednesday, December 17, at approximately 4:30 PM at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi. Justice Ibrahim had recently returned from India, where he had been receiving treatment.
Justice Ibrahim was born on January 1, 1956, and made history as the first person from the Kenyan-Somali community to be admitted to the Bar on January 11, 1983. He studied law at the University of Nairobi and began his private practice in November 1982. His career was marked by a deep commitment to human rights and social justice, notably his resistance to elements of the one-party system, which led to his detention in 1990 for supporting pro-democracy activists.
He served as a Judge of the High Court from May 2003 to May 2011 before being elevated to the Supreme Court of Kenya in June 2011, becoming part of the country’s inaugural Supreme Court bench. Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo praised Justice Mohammed as “a towering source of inspiration to all who dared to dream,” highlighting his “unparalleled grace and distinguished intellect”.
At the time of his passing, Justice Ibrahim served as the Supreme Court representative to the Judicial Service Commission since May 2022 and as the Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee on Elections since August 2021.
He was set to retire officially on January 1, 2026, upon reaching the mandatory constitutional retirement age of 70.
Chief Justice Martha Koome extended her deepest condolences, mourning the loss of “a distinguished jurist whose legacy bridges courageous advocacy and principled judging”.
