Kenya’s Chief Kadhi Sheikh AbdulHalim Hussein is dead.

 Sheikh Jamaludin Osman, the Imam of Jamia Mosque, announced the death on Wednesday, July 10, saying Hussein would be buried in Mombasa after Asr prayers.

 “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we will return. I am saddened to inform you of the passing of our Chief Kadhi, Sheikh AbdulHalim Hussein, a while ago in Mombasa. He shall be buried in Mombasa,” said Osman.

 Chief Justice Martha Koome described Hussein as a principled leader who defended justice and peaceful coexistence in Kenya during his tenure.

 “Sheikh AbdulHalim Hussein served the Judiciary and the people of Kenya with unwavering dedication and integrity,” said Koome.

 Koome, who also chairs the Judicial Service Commission, noted that Hussein’s death is a loss to the Judiciary and the country.

 “We remember him as a spiritual leader who championed peaceful coexistence and respect for diversity,” said Koome.

 Hussein, the eleventh holder of the office of Chief Kadhi, was appointed in July 2023 by the Judicial Service Commission after a competitive process among five shortlisted candidates. He succeeded Sheikh Ahmed Muhdhar, who retired at sixty after leading the Kadhi courts for twelve years.

 As Chief Kadhi, Hussein handled family matters within the Muslim community, including inheritance, divorce, and marriage cases, and worked with magistrates to maintain official records of family-related rulings. His role also included translating Arabic documents and overseeing the registries of Kadhi courts across the country.

The position of Chief Kadhi is a constitutional role within the Judiciary, reserved for Muslims who meet qualifications under Islamic law and the Constitution.

 Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale also mourned Hussein’s death, describing him as a humble scholar and leader.

 “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Following the death of our scholar, brother and religious leader, the Chief Kadhi of Kenya, Brother Abdulhalim Hussein in Mombasa, I miss a brother. O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, and give him strength and pardon him,” said Duale.