Supreme Court Lifts Two-Year Ban on Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi


Supreme Court Lifts Two-Year Ban on Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi
The Supreme Court has lifted a two-year ban that barred Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi and his law firm from appearing before the apex court, allowing them to resume practice with immediate effect.
The decision brings to an end a restriction imposed in January 2024, when the court sanctioned Ahmednasir over what it described as persistent and disparaging public attacks against the judiciary and its judges. At the time, the Supreme Court held that the conduct undermined the dignity and authority of the court, warranting an unprecedented bar against both the advocate and his firm.
The lifting of the ban followed a fresh application seeking its review. The application was argued by senior members of the Bar, who urged the court to reconsider the sanction in light of the time that had elapsed and assurances of professional restraint going forward.
In allowing the application, the Supreme Court noted that the purpose of the original sanction had been served and that the two-year period was sufficient to address the concerns that had led to the ban. The court also took into account representations indicating a commitment to uphold professional and ethical standards in future engagements with the judiciary.
During the review proceedings, submissions made on Ahmednasir’s behalf expressed regret over the circumstances that led to the ban and gave assurances that conduct perceived as undermining the court’s integrity would not be repeated. However, Ahmednasir has since publicly stated that he has not retracted his views on judicial reform and maintains that criticism of the judiciary, when made in good faith, remains legitimate.
The ban — and its eventual lifting — marked a rare and significant episode in Kenya’s legal history, sparking debate within legal and public circles over the limits of professional conduct, freedom of expression, and the relationship between the Bench and the Bar.
With the restriction now lifted, Ahmednasir Abdullahi and his law firm are once again eligible to appear before the country’s highest court, closing a chapter that tested the boundaries of judicial authority and advocate accountability.

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