Veteran High Court Judge Godfrey Omondi Tunya dies
Retired High Court judge Justice Godfrey Omondi Tunya has died after a prolonged illness
Retired High Court judge Justice Godfrey Omondi Tunya has died after a prolonged illness, marking the end of the career of one of the country’s most prominent judicial officers.
He died on Sunday night at a Nairobi hospital, where he had been admitted over the weekend after his health condition worsened following a prolonged battle with illness.
While confirming his death, Chief Justice Martha Koome mourned Tunya, describing him as a dedicated judicial officer who devoted decades of service to Kenya’s justice system.
In a condolence message on Tuesday, July 7, Koome extended her sympathies to his family, friends, former colleagues and all those who worked alongside him during his judicial career.
“I have learnt of the passing of Justice Tunya. On my own behalf, and on behalf of the Judiciary, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, former colleagues, and all who had the privilege of knowing him,” Koome stated.
“As the Judiciary mourns the loss of one of its former Judges, we stand in solidarity with his family during this difficult time. We pray that they may find strength, comfort, and solace,” she added.
The late judge served in Kenya’s Judiciary for decades, rising from a District Magistrate in 1974 to Nairobi Chief Magistrate in 1990 before later being appointed a judge.
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He joined the Judiciary after graduating with a Bachelor of Law degree in 1973 before he was promoted to Senior Resident Magistrate in 1982 and Principal Magistrate in 1987.
He became widely known in the late 1980s and early 1990s for presiding over politically sensitive cases during the one-party state under former President Daniel Moi’s Kenya African National Union (KANU) government.
Justice Tunya handled several cases involving suspected members of the underground Mwakenya movement, an opposition group that challenged President Moi’s one-party government.
Working alongside then-prosecutor Bernard Chunga, he imposed lengthy prison sentences on people, including university students, making him one of the most recognisable judicial figures of that period.
Beyond the courtroom, Justice Tunya also made headlines in 2013 after he was attacked by armed robbers along Mamlaka Road in Nairobi and lost his legally issued firearm containing six bullets.
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