NAIROBI, Kenya April 6 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has mourned the passing of Senior Counsel Pheroze Nowrojee, describing him as a “phenomenally brilliant lawyer and the chess master of the courts” whose humility and intellect shaped Kenya’s legal and human rights landscape.
In a deeply personal message, Kindiki said Nowrojee dignified the title of Senior Counsel not by assertion but through his conduct, earning admiration across generations of legal practitioners.
“Humble to a fault, the towering veteran of the courts was an intellectual who lived a simple life and interacted respectfully with all,” he said.
President William Ruto also paid tribute, calling Nowrojee a “decorated constitutional lawyer and veteran defender of human rights” admired for his “unfailing graciousness, erudition and solidarity with the ordinary citizen.”
“With his death, the nation has lost a brilliant legal mind who made undeniable contributions to the development of our vibrant democracy and human rights culture,” the President said.
Nowrojee, who passed away on Saturday, was widely respected for defending political detainees, advancing constitutionalism and shaping human rights jurisprudence across East Africa.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who worked closely with him in the pro-democracy movement, said: “His passing marks the end of a historic era and leaves a gap that will be almost impossible to fill.”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen described him as “a towering figure in the Kenyan and East African legal landscape,” while Rarieda MP and senior advocate Dr Otiende Amolo said he was “a quintessential advocate who presented the best in court advocacy.”
Veteran lawyer and former legislator Gitobu Imanyara said: “What a loss to the legal profession and to this country.”
The Law Society of Kenya hailed him as “one of the most eminent legal minds and moral beacons of our time,” and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka said: “Pheroze’s life was a fitting example of dedication to service… He set the bar.”
A mentor to many and a consistent voice for justice, Nowrojee leaves behind a legacy that helped shape Kenya’s democratic journey and strengthened its legal foundations.
