Supreme Court Judge Mohammed Ibrahim, a veteran of Kenya's legal fraternity and a key figure in the struggle for multi-party democracy, has died at 69 after a long illness. His death was confirmed on Wednesday by the Judiciary.

The passing of Justice Ibrahim, one of the inaugural judges of the Supreme Court appointed in 2011, leaves a significant void on the nation's highest court. His death triggers a constitutional process to find his successor and prompts reflections on a judicial career that spanned Kenya's most turbulent political eras.

In a heartfelt tribute, President William Ruto remembered Justice Ibrahim as a "principled jurist, a passionate defender of human rights, and a steadfast champion of multi-party democracy." The President noted that Ibrahim blazed a historic trail as the first member of the Kenyan-Somali community to be admitted as an Advocate of the High Court, breaking barriers and inspiring generations.

A Legacy Forged in Struggle

Justice Ibrahim's commitment to democracy was not merely academic. In July 1990, during the repressive single-party era, he was detained without trial and held in solitary confinement for a month for providing legal advice to pro-democracy activists. He was a founding trustee of the human rights organization Mwangaza Trust and actively worked with Kituo Cha Sheria, defending figures like Kenneth Matiba and Jaramogi Odinga.

He was also a fierce advocate for minority rights, famously challenging the discriminatory "pink card" identification system that relegated Kenyan Somalis to second-class citizenship. This history of activism shaped his judicial philosophy, with colleagues describing him as a liberal thinker who fought for the individual and the marginalized.

Tributes from the Legal Fraternity

Chief Justice Martha Koome eulogized her colleague as a "jurist of exceptional humility and integrity" and a "steadfast guardian of constitutionalism, electoral justice, and human dignity." She highlighted his thoughtful voice on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), where he represented the Supreme Court.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), through its President Faith Odhiambo, mourned Justice Ibrahim as an "independent, astute voice of reason" who served with "unparalleled grace and distinguished intellect." His calm demeanor, she noted, reflected a man who fully understood the role of judicial authority as an opportunity to serve.

• 1983: Admitted to the Roll of Advocates, the first from the Kenyan-Somali community.
• 1990: Detained without trial for his pro-democracy legal work.
• 2003: Appointed as a Judge of the High Court.
• 2011: Appointed to the inaugural bench of the Supreme Court of Kenya.
• 2022: Elected to represent the Supreme Court on the Judicial Service Commission.

Justice Ibrahim, who had been receiving treatment in Nairobi after returning from India, was just weeks away from his terminal leave ahead of his mandatory retirement. As the nation awaits the formal process to fill his seat, the legacy of Justice Ibrahim serves as a benchmark for a judiciary still navigating the complexities of Kenya's democratic journey.