President Kenyatta Nominates Muturi, New Solicitor General

President Uhuru Kenyatta has today nominated Njee Muturi as the new Solicitor General. Muturi, a long-time aide to Kenyatta will replace the current Solicitor General Wanjuki Muchemi, who is retiring.

His name has been forwarded to parliament for vetting by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, chaired by Eldoret East MP Samuel Chepkonga.

Speech on Mau Mau Compensation

On Thursday, the British government announced it will pay $30.8 million in compensation to elderly Kenyans tortured by British colonial forces.

The out-of-court settlement will be split between 5,228 victims, leaving about $4,100 per claimant.

Here is the full speech delivered by British Foreign Secretary William Hague on the Mau Mau Compensation.

With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on a legal settlement that the Government has reached concerning the claims of Kenyan citizens who lived through the Emergency Period and the Mau Mau insurgency from October 1952 to December 1963.

During the Emergency Period widespread violence was committed by both sides, and most of the victims were Kenyan.  Many thousands of Mau Mau members were killed, while the Mau Mau themselves were responsible for the deaths of over 2,000 people including 200 casualties among the British regiments and police.

The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya Report is Out

The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya has released its report as mandated by TJRC Act number 6 of 2008.

The commission was tasked with investigating and analyzing gross human rights violations and other historical injustices in Kenya between December 12, 1963 and February 28, 2008 as part of the Agenda Four of the National Accord signed in 2008 by former President Mwai Kibaki and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Samuel Kivuitu Passes On

Former Electoral Commission of Kenya Chairman Samuel Kivuitu passed away on Monday night while undergoing treatment at the MP Shah hospital in Nairobi.

The men who was at the helm of the electoral body during the 2007 election had recently declared he was cured from esophagus cancer.

The 74-year-old career lawyer had hoped to be a poll observer in the forthcoming March 4th general election. 

Condolences to the Family & Friends.

Photo Courtesy of Pambazuka.org 

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Below is one of his last interviews before the untimely death

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Hon. Samuel Kivuitu was buried on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at his home in Wamuyu, Machakos County.

Kenya's 2012 Top 40 Under 40 Men

Nation Media Group's Business Daily presented the annual 'Top 40 Under 40' awards on December 4th 2012. The awards ceremony which seeks to recognise and celebrate young Kenyan's achievements in the field of business, enterprise and professionalism were graced by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.

Speaking at the unveiling of the list, Dr. Mutunga urged professionals to uphold integrity in their undertakings. 
"For persons in business, the case of the Enron Corporation is too well known. What tends to be forgotten is that the main problem was not the profitability of the business as such, but the lack of integrity among the decision-makers within it. In other words, it was the failure and/or refusal by the professionals within the organisation to do what they should have been doing." - Dr. Mutunga

Business Daily come up with this campaign five years ago, running the women's edition for four years before the men's version was finally unveiled in 2011.

Below is the complete list many have been asking for:-

Paul Russo
Position: Head, HR, Change and Operations, Barclays Africa
Age: 36

Public Lecture on Art & National Healing @Raira University

There will be a public lecture on Art and National Healing: Designing the Constitutional Court of South Africa after apartheid at the Riara University on Thursday, December 13th 2012.
Time: 3-5 pm
Presentation by Celebrated human rights activist and former South Africa Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs  

Lawrence Mute named 2012 Jurist of the Year

Former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) commissioner Lawrence Murugu Mute is the 2012 Jurist of the Year. Mute was honoured by the International Commission for Jurists (ICJ-Kenya) with the prestigious award for his outstanding contribution to human rights advocacy in the country.

The award was presented by ICJ-Kenya chairperson Albert Kamunde in a ceremony held in the capital.  

Training on Intellectual Property and Copyright by KCB, 8 Dec

The Kenya Copyright Board, Maisha Yetu (Kenya) and PAYT & Dextraw Studio (South Africa) will organize a workshop for artists in the audio-visual category on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the Sarakasi Dome. Kenya’s renowned Hip-hop artist Mwafrika will be the main artist presenting at the Haki za Msanii workshop. Mwafrika will be presenting on his experience as a TV producer exhibiting productions never seen on TV before. Mwafrika currently a presenter on the TV show Raiyaa will engage the audience on TV production and why he uses comedy to pass social messages.

If you are an artist or art lover and would like to interact with peers from East and Southern Africa this is a forum where you could build your networks and learn more about Intellectual Property laws. You will also engage with legal representatives from the Kenya Copyright Board.

Time: 11am to 2pm

For more details, visit Maisha Yetu’s website 

Kenya’s Top Lawyers honored with Senior Counsel Rank

Attorney General Githu Muigai and Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko are among fifteen lawyers who were conferred with the Rank of Senior Counsel.

A 10-person committee chaired by former Attorney General Amos Wako, chose 15 from a list of 49 lawyers who sent their applications, in accordance with the Advocates Act of 2011.  

50 outstanding Pre & Post Independence and Second Liberation Heroes

Tomorrow Kenya marks the 49th Madaraka Day; this is after the British colonialist handed over the nation to its inhabitants on 1^st June 1963. Many Kenyans who had nationalistic ambitions and protested the rule were violently suppressed. The struggle of this Kenyans and the later generation of second liberation crusaders have made me embark on writing a list of 50 Kenyans who make tomorrow a day to celebrate.

Here is the list of 50 remarkable Pre & Post Independence and Second Liberation Kenyans

Lawrence Murugu Mute

Born in 1969, Meru County Mute is an accomplished lawyer, poet and human rights activist who currently serves as a Commissioner of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). Being visual impaired has never shaken the lawyer whose area of expertise include governance, constitutionalism, media and disability.

Hon. Lady Justice Njoki Susanna Ndung’u EBS

Born in 1965, she is renowned for her efforts in the successive enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2006 and Maternity and Paternity Act 2007. The former nominated Member of Parliament currently serves as a Supreme Court judge and executive Chairperson for Center for Legal Communication & Information in Kenya (CLICK).

Mwananchi: Wanjiku

 Wanjiku

No one knows her real name or what she looks like but everyone understood that what she wanted was a new constitution and a better future for Kenya. What Kenyans will not forget is how the political battles have been waged in her name.

Wanjiku is a feminine Kikuyu name that is used to symbolize the ordinary person in Kenyan politics. Wanjiku was coined by the former president Daniel T. Arap Moi in dismissal of calls for a new constitution. He said, “Do you think Wanjiku Understands what is a constitution?” Since then the name has continued to be used and eminently in caricature.

Michael Christopher Kijana Wamalwa

Kijana

The flamboyant man who defined Queen’s English in Kenya will always remain in the memories of Kenyans. It didn’t matter if it was the podium or the glare of the media his eloquence won everyone over. Wamalwa was not all talk; he actually was in the front-line in fight for democracy. He was among the Young Turks who pioneered the second liberation of the country, through the party, Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD).