LSK election: Peter Wanyama concedes defeat, raises alarm over voter apathy

Wanyama, who declared his candidature in September 2025, said leadership demands humility in both victory and defeat.

“A true mark of leadership is to concede when one is beaten,” he stated, congratulating Senior Counsel Charles Kanjama on his win and acknowledging fellow candidate Mwaura Wakabata for what he described as a strong and energetic campaign.

However, beyond the outcome of the race, Wanyama has expressed concern over the low turnout that characterised the elections.

Wanyama says that out of more than 26,000 LSK members, about 18,000 are active and hold practising certificates. Yet only 8,600 advocates cast their votes.

“I had projected that nearly 13,000 members would turn out. I was wrong,” Wanyama noted

He dismissed claims that the so-called “silent majority” determined the outcome, arguing instead that the silent majority stayed away from the ballot.

According to Wanyama, the figures reveal a deeper structural issue within the Society one that requires honest introspection.

“Why are so many advocates disengaged from elections whose outcomes significantly affect their professional lives?” he posed.

Throughout his campaign, Wanyama had advanced a reform agenda centred on building what he termed a “strategically strong bar”, one capable of protecting and expanding the practising space of lawyers in a rapidly evolving legal landscape shaped by technology, artificial intelligence, regulatory shifts and market competition.

He had urged advocates to prepare for the next decade, during which over 40,000 new lawyers are expected to enter the profession, by expanding into emerging practice areas including technology and AI law, environmental and climate law, energy, blockchain and data regulation, intellectual property, public finance, capital markets, arbitration, and other specialised fields.

In his concession, however, he pivoted to electoral reform, suggesting that the Society must consider whether structural changes are necessary to boost participation.

He questioned whether the LSK should take advantage of increased digitisation, blockchain technology and digital registers to introduce online voting as a means of enhancing accessibility and participation.

Similarly, Wanyama thanked the thousands of advocates who supported his vision, saying their belief in reform remains a powerful foundation for future engagement.

“The members have spoken. We must defer to the will of the majority,” he said, while urging the Society to confront the uncomfortable reality reflected in the turnout numbers.