The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Senior Counsel Bar have rejected a proposed amendment to the Advocates Act that would grant the President unilateral authority to confer the rank of Senior Counsel, warning it politicizes the prestigious honor.

• The proposed amendment, sponsored by Tharaka Nithi MP George Murugara, threatens to shift the award process from an independent, merit-based system to political control.
• The rank of Senior Counsel is the highest honor in Kenya’s legal profession, currently awarded based on vetting by the Committee on Senior Counsel, where the President's role is ceremonial.
• LSK President Faith Odhiambo emphasized that the title should represent “legal excellence earned through professional achievement, not an automatic title tied to public office.”

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has proposed a bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Code, aiming to expunge criminal records for Kenyan youth who have served their sentences, excluding capital or sexual offenses. This initiative seeks to provide second chances for employment and reintegration into society, addressing concerns that minor or outdated convictions hinder job opportunities.

• Babu Owino's proposal was presented before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Thursday, August 14.
• The bill aims to establish a legal framework for removing certain convictions from police clearance certificates.
• The proposal draws inspiration from South Africa’s expungement model and addresses a 2020 High Court decision regarding the lack of a legal framework for expunging criminal records in Kenya.
• Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang cautioned against blanket clearance without proof of rehabilitation, while Ol Jorok MP Michael Muchira supported the bill on the principle of double jeopardy.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has defended anticipatory bail as a legitimate legal principle, countering President William Ruto's claims that it shields corruption suspects. LSK President Faith Odhiambo stated that strict legal thresholds are applied, ensuring the measure is not abused.

• LSK President Faith Odhiambo asserted that anticipatory bail is a "historically embedded" legal principle rooted in Kenyan and Commonwealth jurisprudence.
• The defence came after President William Ruto, speaking at the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay, accused the judiciary of "innovations" that promote corruption, citing anticipatory bail.
• Chief Justice Martha Koome, at a conference in Kwale, warned against undermining judicial independence and defended anticipatory bail as part of safeguarding constitutional rights.