John Khaminwa, born on June 10, 1936, in the Umira Kager clan of the Luo tribe in rural western Kenya, is a renowned Kenyan lawyer and human rights activist.
He attended Masiyenze Primary School, Musingu Intermediate School, and Alliance High School in Kenya. He earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Dar es Salaam University and an external law degree from the University of London.
He also holds a Master of Law in International Law from New York University School of Law.
Khaminwa has been a vocal advocate for multi-party democracy, representing opposition leaders like Raila Odinga, Kenneth Matiba, and George Anyona during Kenya’s fight against one-party rule under President Daniel Moi.
His efforts often put him at odds with the government, leading to his detention in 1982–1983 and briefly in 1990 during the Saba Saba rally, a pivotal moment in Kenya’s push for political reforms.
He challenged the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), advocating for the Court of Appeal to uphold the High Court’s ruling that deemed it unconstitutional, showcasing his commitment to constitutional integrity.
He was married to Joyce Nuku Khaminwa, a respected High Court judge, for 48 years until her passing in 2014 at Nairobi Hospital after a long illness.
Together, they had four children: Arthur, Albert, Anne, and Anjela. Albert, who followed in his parents’ footsteps as a lawyer and became a senior partner at Khaminwa & Khaminwa Advocates, passed away in 2017. Arthur resides in Mombasa, Anne lives in the United States, and Anjela is based in Austria with her husband. The couple also had three grandchildren.
