A new cohort of 242 lawyers has officially joined the Roll of Advocates after being admitted to the Bar in a ceremony presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome at the Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi.
The CJ described the admission not only as a personal career milestone for the lawyers but also as a constitutional responsibility. “Each new advocate we admit represents the future of the legal profession, the vitality of the rule of law, and the strength of our democracy,” she said.
With the latest group, the number of advocates admitted this year has risen to 950, with one more cohort still awaiting processing by the Kenya School of Law and the Council of Legal Education, according to the Judiciary.
In her address, Koome reminded the new advocates that the oath they took was more than a formality. “The oath is a covenant; a solemn promise between you and the people of Kenya. Let your practice be guided not just by legality, but also by justice, fairness, and what is morally right,” she urged.
She emphasized that lawyers carry a responsibility beyond interpreting the law—they are expected to safeguard democracy, defend the Constitution, and protect the rights of citizens.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya also spoke during the ceremony, highlighting Kenya’s pressing justice gaps. She revealed that Kenya has only 202 judges serving a population of 57 million—equivalent to one judge for every 279,000 citizens, far below the international best practice of one judge per 50,000 to 100,000 people. Additionally, the country has 561 magistrates, representing one for every 98,000 Kenyans.
Mokaya said these figures explain the backlog of cases in the judiciary but also present opportunities for the new lawyers to contribute to a more accessible justice system. She urged them to align their practice with the Judiciary’s Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) blueprint.
“I urge you to see your admission not as the end of a long journey, but as the beginning of a career that can profoundly impact communities and strengthen the rule of law,” she concluded.
The latest admissions mark a significant boost to Kenya’s legal fraternity, underscoring the critical role advocates play in advancing justice.
