Celebrated Kenyan human rights lawyer and Senior Counsel Pheroze Nowrojee has passed away. The respected legal mind died on Saturday morning in the United States at the age of 84.
Nowrojee was a towering figure in Kenya’s legal and human rights landscape, with a career spanning decades of advocacy for justice, democracy, and constitutionalism. He was instrumental in the country’s second liberation struggle, and notably served as the Convener and Spokesperson of the National Convention Executive Council (NCEC) — a movement that played a central role in pushing for democratic reforms in the 1990s.
Until his death, Nowrojee was also the Chairperson of the Asian African Heritage Trust, a body that has been pivotal in promoting Kenya’s role in global diplomacy, peacebuilding, cultural exchange, and education.
His death marks the end of an era, as many in the legal fraternity and civil society remember him not just for his eloquence and brilliance in courtrooms, but also for his unwavering defense of civil liberties and minority rights.
Tributes have begun pouring in from colleagues, civil society groups, and leaders across the country who have described him as a “legal icon,” “patriot,” and “a fearless defender of justice.”
