Allen Gichuhi wins LSK poll, provisional results show

Lawyer Allen Waiyaki Gichuhi. He has won the LSK poll. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The commercial litigation advocate and senior partner at Wamae and Allen Advocates garnered 2,675 votes to beat his rival James Aggrey Mwamu, who managed 2,145 votes in 38 polling stations.
  • Ms Harriette Chiggai was elected the society's vice president.
  • Lawyers and political leaders have taken to Twitter to congratulate Mr Gichuhi on his victory, including Mr Havi.

Lawyer Allen Waiyaki Gichuhi has won the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) presidential election held on Thursday, provisional results show.

The commercial litigation advocate and senior partner at Wamae and Allen Advocates garnered 2,675 votes to beat his rival James Aggrey Mwamu, who managed 2,145 votes in 38 polling stations, according to the provisional tally released late Thursday.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, which presided over the polls, on Friday said official results would be announced on Saturday afternoon after receiving forms from all the stations.

9,900 LAWYERS

With 17 years experience of handling-high profile cases in the banking and corporate world, Mr Gichuhi was in 2015 ranked in Band 2 by Chambers Global, which lists the best lawyers and law firms in over 190 countries.

Ms Harriette Chiggai was elected the society's vice president after trouncing her main rival Joy Masinde.

Ms Chiggai, a University of Nairobi and Lugulu Girls High School alumna, has been a legal manager at the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) since 2011.

In an interview on Thursday night, both Mr Gichuhi and Ms Chiggai said they were looking forward to reunite LSK as their first task.

"Our work will be to reconcile members who are divided politically, we need to hold talks on mending fences and the need to agree on healing," said Mr Gichuhi.

He pledged to transform LSK, starting with a 100-day delivery plan, taking care of lawyers' welfare and helping ordinary Kenyans access justice.

MWAMU

On her part, Ms Chiggai she said the election was not easy.

"God picks leaders, I am a champion of governance," she said.

The Nation's efforts to get a comment from Mr Mwamu on Friday morning were not immediately successful as his phone was switched off.

The election went well, according to the Elections Observation Group (Elog).

The lobby said there were no incidents during the opening and setting up of polling stations except in one polling station at the Nyeri High Court where the electronic voter register missed, forcing a manual one to be used.

In its preliminary report released on Friday, Elog says the election was conducted in a manner consistent with laws and regulations on elections as well as good practice.

ELOG

Elog deployed 25 observers in 25 polling stations out of total of 38 in 28 court stations countywide.

There were a total of 37 contestants in the LSK polls besides Mr Gichuhi, Mr Mwamu and Ms Chiggai.

The election was marred by a court battle after Nairobi lawyer Nelson Havi sued the society for locking him out.

Mr Havi lost the fight on February 6 after High Court judge John Mativo ruled that the society's decision to reject his nomination papers because he did not have 15 years experience was not discriminatory.

Young advocates had also threatened to boycott the elections, arguing that the decision to restrict people seeking the position of president to 15 years of practice was discriminatory.

However, they changed their mind and took part in the Thursday polls.

REACTIONS

Lawyers and political leaders have taken to Twitter to congratulate Mr Gichuhi on his victory, including Mr Havi.

"Congratulations Allen Gichuhi Waiyaki for your election as LSK President," he tweeted on Thursday evening.

"My brother James Aggrey Mwamu, we tried but lost. It is time for you to retire."

However, Mr Havi said the voter turnout was "exceedingly low".

"A majority of voters having boycotted the election on account of age limit discrimination affecting the candidature of Nelson Havi," he said.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said: "My brother Allen Gichuhi Waiyaki, please accept my warm congratulations on your impressive victory in your election as the new LSK President."

1948

“To my senior brother James Aggrey Mwamu, you fought the good fight. You are a gentleman. You will live to fight another day. LSK is a Family, let’s move forward together as we should.”

Some praised Mr Gichuhi's campaign, saying it was well organised.

"Triumph follows the organised and the committed as rout does to the lazy and disorganised," said Wakili Ochieng."Congratulations Allen Gichuhi Waiyaki. Other than the Lawyers' President you were the only one exhibiting strength in the face of fear."

LSK is Kenya's premier Bar association and has the mandate to advise and assist advocates, the government and the public in the administration of justice.

It was formed in 1948 by section 3 of the Law Society of Kenya Ordinance, 1949, which was later repealed by the current Law Society of Kenya Act, which came into force on October 30, 1992.