I don’t need LSK, says lawyer who wants Ruto ‘full President’

The lawyer who went to court to force Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to swear in William Ruto as President has said he does not need to be registered with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

Felix Kiprono, a master of law student, told the court that Uhuru Kenyatta had resigned when he gave Ruto powers to become acting president and therefore, his deputy had to be sworn in for the remaining three years of the Jubilee coalition’s term. Kiprono, whose name is not on LSK’s online database, admitted he is not an advocate, but a lawyer.

“Lawyers don’t need to be registered with LSK. Being a lawyer means you have a law degree. Only advocates need to be registered with LSK,” he told The Nairobian.

Kiprono is a man of many cases.

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He once filed a case that aimed at halting the implementation of the laptop programme over environmental concerns.

He also filed a petition with the speaker of Baringo County Assembly last October aimed at preventing Kenyatta and his deputy from going to the ICC for their trials on grounds that their cases infringed on his right to political representation.

He told The Nairobian that he only went to court for “clarification and direction” and denied any mischief behind his move.

“It’s not about a feeling for Deputy President Ruto, but rather for the constitution, since I have the legal duty to defend it. I was just defending the Constitution,” he said.

When asked what would happen should his application be successful after the President returns to the country, he argued that Uhuru would be just like any other citizen, unless he is appointed a deputy president.

Kiprono is currently pursuing a masters degree in international law under the auspices of Oxford University in the UK.