NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 6 – Kenya’s second female President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Faith Odhiambo, rose to national fame as a fearless defender of the rule of law.
She spoke boldly against police brutality, challenged President William Ruto’s government, and vowed to fight for the young and the vulnerable.
But today, doubts are growing over whether the woman who once defied power has now softened her stance.
On September 4, 2025, Faith stood at the oath-taking ceremony for a new government-appointed panel on compensation for protest victims.
Flanked by Constitutional Advisor Makau Mutua as chair, she accepted the role of vice chairperson, a move that has triggered heated debate across the country.
When Faith was elected in March 2024 as the 51st LSK president, she carried the hopes of many.
Only the second woman to lead the lawyers’ umbrella body after Raychelle Omamo, she promised to make the society the “indispensable voice for the rule of law.”
She built her campaign on three pillars: stabilizing the society, supporting young advocates, and defending the rule of law.
And she meant business.
– Faith Odhiambo’s rise as Ruto’s bitter critic –
At the height of the Gen Z protests in June 2024, Faith was a bitter critic of President Ruto’s administration,
She urged international bodies and civil society to hold the government accountable for police killings and violent crackdowns.
Faith condemned abductions of protesters, comparing them to “Moi-era brutality.”
In July 2024, when President Ruto appointed her to a task force to audit Kenya’s debt, she flatly rejected it, calling the move unconstitutional.
“Auditing is the job of the Auditor General,” the LSK said under her leadership, insisting the appointment violated the law.
Faith had become a symbol of resistance to government overreach.
That is why her acceptance of President Ruto’s latest appointment has raised eyebrows.
Critics say the woman who once rejected state appointments on principle has now bowed to the same government she accused of impunity.
A section of lawyers have since demanded her resignation from LSK, accusing her of betraying the independence of the society.
On social media, the backlash was swift as netizens accused her of compromising her integrity.
– Faith Odhiambo’s Defense –
Faith, however, insists she has not sold out.
“As I take up this responsibility, let it be known that I have in no way betrayed your trust,” she told Kenyans after her swearing in. “The bloodshed by our comrades must not be in vain. No, I will not even take any prisoners in this cause.”
She argued that working within the system is the best way to secure justice for victims of police killings during protests.
“Holistic justice requires that as we seek accountability from perpetrators, we remain alive to the needs of victims,” she said.
For decades, the LSK has stood as a watchdog against state excesses.
Critics argue that if its President appears compromised, the society’s voice will be weakened at a critical moment for Kenya’s democracy.
Supporters, including Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, counter that Faith is exactly where she should be, inside the room where decisions are made, fighting for victims who otherwise would have no voice.
Faith’s story has become one of contradictions: the firebrand who rejected unconstitutional state appointments but now serves on one; the Gen Z ally who now works with the same government that cracked down on them.
Whether driven by strategy or compromise, Faith’s presidency once hailed as a breakthrough for women and young lawyers now stands at its most critical test.
