MKU law students, faculty from Rwanda tour Supreme Court and other legal institutions in Kenya
Law students and faculty from the Mount Kenya University (MKU) School of Law in Nairobi have this week hosted their counterparts from Rwanda’s Mount Kigali University School of Law who had been on a benchmarking tour of Kenya.
The law students toured not just MKU facilities in
Kenya but also interacted with other legal institutions in Kenya, including the
National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Law Society of Kenya.
On Monday, the students attended a special
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Lecture that was themed "Emerging
Regional and National Issues on Alternative Dispute Resolution,” delivered at
the MKU Kenya School of Law in Nairobi. Ms Jacqueline Waihenya, the chairman of
the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, Kenya, gave a lecture on the Evolution
of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Africa, lessons from traditional
justice and emerging trends.
At the Supreme Court of Kenya, Honourable Lady
Justice Njoki Ndung’u lectured the visitors on jurisdiction, roles and key
jurisprudence developed by the Supreme Court. The visit also included a guided
tour of the Judiciary Museum, which showcased Kenya’s rich judicial history
through preserved legal artifacts and documents.
Prof Fructuose Bigirimana, Dean of the MKU-R School
of Law delivered an exchange lecture on the Gacaca courts, Rwanda’s unique
approach to community-based justice and reconciliation. The sessions were
facilitated by MKU’s Centre for International and Development Law (CIDLaw), an
international legal research center based at the university’s School of Law in
Parklands. School of Law in Parklands.
“This session offered students comparative
perspectives on legal systems and transitional justice,” said Ms Judy Ngayu,
Director, and CIDLaw. “Students also engaged arbitrators in a session designed
to equip them with practical arbitration and mediation skills—critical tools in
today’s evolving legal landscape,” she said.
Ngayu also announced that CIDLaw is in the process
of expanding to serve Mount Kigali University’s School of Law, a move that
would ensure that both Kenyan and Rwandan students benefit from research
opportunities, alternative dispute resolution training and career development
programmes. “Our mission is to bridge the gap between legal education and
practice through research and policy advocacy, training in ADR, international,
and development law as well as professional networking and mentorship,"
Ngayu said.
The students also participated in a moot court
competition where they simulated real court proceedings to sharpen their
advocacy skills before experienced legal practitioners. The 40 participating
students, 20 from the MKU School of Law, Nairobi and 20 from Mount Kigali
University School of Law, visited the Supreme Court of Kenya, where they gained
first-hand insights into the structure of Kenya’s judiciary.
They later visited the Parliament of Kenya, where
they were engaged in discussions on the origin, development and impact of laws,
the process of drafting and passing legislation, and the roles of the National
Assembly and Senate. Additionally, there was a special focus on devolution and
the impact of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“So far, the visit has been insightful for our young
people from Rwanda, but their counterparts are also learning. We hope to
replicate this in the future, where we will have exchange programmes where even
Kenyan students can visit Rwanda and see how the law is practiced there,” Ngayu
said.
The students also planned to gain insights into
Kenya’s correctional systems with a visit to the Nairobi Industrial Area Remand
and Prison. Key discussions here were to centre on theories of punishment,
sentence mitigation, prison reforms, and governance within the Justice, Law,
and Order Sector (GJLOS) reform programmes.
Also on the programme was a visit to Rwandan Embassy
in Kenya, where the learners were to engage in discussions on international
legal systems, global trends, and best practices in diplomacy and legal
affairs.
Later in the week, the students will be hosted at
the MKU Nakuru Campus, where Lawrence Karanja, former Chairman of the Law
Society of Kenya (LSK) Nakuru Branch, will deliver a keynote address in which
he will share insights into the role and activities of the LSK Nakuru Branch,
his personal experiences as an advocate, and practical advice for law students.
No comments: