The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) vice president Faith Odhiambo has risen to become the organisation’s new boss after winning the presidential elections held on Thursday, February 28th, 2024.
She becomes the 51st President of the Council, succeeding Eric Theuri.
Odhiambo beat four other candidates in the presidential race including Peter Wanyama, Carolyne Kamende, Faith Odhiambo, Harriet Mboche and Kipkoech Bernhard Ngetich.
Results seen by the Kena Online News revealed that Odhiambo got 3,113 votes followed closely by Wanyama who had 2,165 votes.
Kamede had 888 votes, Ng’etich 833 votes and Mboche 511 votes.
Wanyama, Faith’s closest challenger, has conceded defeat.
He blamed it on claims that he was a government-sponsored candidate.
“That hurt my campaign because throughout the period I have used very limited resources. No single coin from the government. Secondly, I have taken major cases against the national government to protect devolution,” he said in a statement.
Raychelle Omamo was the last woman to hold the top LSK job from 2001 to 2003.
The most recent presidents were Isaac Okero (2016-2018); Allen Gichuhi (2018-2020); Nelson Havi (2020-2021) and outgoing president Eric Theuri (2022-2024).
Thursday’s elections were conducted across the country and were overseen by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Other positions where new members were to be elected included vice president and council members who included three representatives of the general membership of the society, four upcountry representatives, three Nairobi representatives, and one Coast representative.
Members also elected LSK male representatives to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Exiting LSK President Theuri is seeking that mandate.
Theuri’s term will expire on March 25, 2024. The position was, however, declared vacant on December 5, 2023, as per the LSK General Regulations, 2020.
The regulations require that the position is declared vacant at least three months before the 15th day of March of the year the elections are scheduled to be held.
At the Supreme Court polling station, several lawyers including Azimio leader Kalonzo Musyoka turned out to cast their votes.
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni also cast his vote at Supreme Court polling station.
After casting their votes, various candidates and senior lawyers stated the election was peacefully conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
