Lawyer Faith Mony Odhiambo clinched the Law Society of Kenya presidency in hotly contested polls.
Odhiambo, who floored four other candidates, succeeds Eric Theuri who served as President for two years from March 2022.
She garnered a total of 3113 votes against Peter Wanyama’s 2165 while Carolyne Kamende came third with 888.
Fourth placed Bernard Ng’etich managed 833 votes, while Njoki Mboce got 511 votes.
Odhiambo led in all the six polling stations at the Milimani Law Courts, and regions like in Nyeri, Homa bay, Nanyuki, Kisii, Machakos, Kisumu and Nakuru.
The election which was held on February 29, attracted a total of 7,521 out of the 15,715 registered members.
However, 7510 of the votes cast were declared valid.
Odhiambo becomes the 51st president and second woman to head the lawyer body after former cabinet secretary Raychelle Omamo.
Lawyer Samson Omwanza Ombati was elected to be the male LSK representative to the Judicial Service Commission.
He garnered 3,357 votes against Theuri who received 3,292 votes. They were trying to succeed Macharia Njeru whose term has ended.
While conceding defeat, Wanyama said that the false narrative that he was a government -backed candidate significantly damaged his campaign.
” I have run a modest campaign largely financed from meager legal fees,” Wanyama said.
He however congratulated Odhiambo who was the immediate Vice president of now President of LSK.
Mboce on her part thanked the members of LSK for the support they had accorded her throughout her tenure as the LSK Nairobi representative .
She also congratulated the incoming president and council, extending her support.
“Tonight, the hand of democracy has blown through our prestigious LSK: However the face of victory has evaded us,” she said.
Odhiambo believes that LSK needs a leader who will empower and drive the society’s common purpose.
“The choice is whether to move forward as a united society on its progress or retrogress into the chaotic past we have walked to move away from,” Odhiambo said during her campaign period.
It is Odhiambo’s opinion that she is key to a stable, predictable, less dramatic, and coherent leadership that will ensure efficient service delivery and stand firm for the rule of law.
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