Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died aged 72. He served as Kenya’s 7th Attorney General from 2018 to 2022 and held several senior judicial positions, including President of the Court of Appeal. His distinguished career spanned decades of legal practice, judicial leadership and public service, leaving a lasting mark on Kenya’s justice system.
Kenya’s former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died aged 72. His death was confirmed on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, by Chief Justice Martha Koome and his family
He was a Kenyan lawyer and a former Attorney General, court of appeal president, and judge. He was nominated for the post of Office of Attorney General of Kenya by President Uhuru Kenyatta on 13 February 2018 following the resignation Githu Muigai.
Paul Kihara Kariuki was born on 11 May 1954 in Kiambu, Kenya. His parents are the Late Bishop of Anglican Church, Bishop Obadiah Kariuki and Lillian Wairimu the daughter of Senior Chief Koinange. He attended Nairobi School and graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1977.
Practiced law with Hamilton, Harrison and Matthews Advocates, and later co-founded Ndungu Njoroge and Kwach Advocates.
He later served as Director of the Kenya School of Law. Then he was later appointed as the High Court Judge in October 2003 by President Mwai Kibaki. In which he Founded and headed the Judicial Training Institute. At this point he went on and served as Kenya’s 7th Attorney General from February 2018 to October 2022 under President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Former Attorney General retired from the office on October 27th, 2022, when he officially handed the office of the Attorney General to his successor, Jusitn Muturi.
