Lawyers Demand Right to Carry Firearms Over Surge in Risky Attacks.

A dramatic petition has been submitted to the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), seeking to make it a legal right for advocates to carry firearms while on duty. The move comes amid a disturbing rise in attacks and killings of lawyers working on contentious and high-risk cases.

The petition, delivered by public interest group Sheria Mtaani and lawyer Shadrack Wambui, argues that advocates are increasingly exposed to mortal danger—not just when handling risky litigation but even in routine duties. It cites a string of murders, including those of Advocate Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, Elizabeth Koki Musyoki, Anthony Nahashon Ngunjiri, Willie Kimani and Mandela Nabaala, as proof of the life-threatening risks.

Shock Signals From the Petition

Sheria Mtaani’s letter, dated September 15, 2025, urges LSK Council to recognize the urgent need for proactive protection. The group says advocates are routinely denied firearm certificates despite facing credible threats. The Firearms Act allows citizens to apply for such certificates if a “good and sufficient reason” is shown — but Sheria Mtaani claims legal professionals are disfavoured in practice when compared to more influential petitioners.

The petition demands several immediate changes:

• That advocates should have firearm possession recognized as a legal right, not left to the discretion of licensing officers.
• For LSK to formally engage with the Interior Cabinet Secretary to lay out clear procedures and standards for advocates to obtain firearms legally.

Fallout & Stakes

This request raises serious legal, ethical, and security questions. If approved:

• The legal profession would have to navigate how to balance right to security with risk of misuse.
• Regulatory frameworks—from LSK policies to national laws governing arms—would likely face intense scrutiny and possibly reform.
• Public trust in both the legal profession’s safety and its integrity could be reshaped, depending on how transparent, fair, and consistent the implementation is.

Advocates argue that the current environment is untenable. The petition states that many threats go ignored, that some killings might have been prevented had affected lawyers been allowed lawful self-defence.