Three female lawyers have thrown their hats into the ring, gearing up to contest for the prestigious Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Presidency in the elections scheduled for February 29, 2024.
This marks a significant shift in a traditionally male-dominated arena and reflects the growing influence of women in shaping the legal landscape.
The three formidable candidates, each bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the table, are set to challenge the status quo and vie for leadership roles within the LSK.
The upcoming elections are poised to be a pivotal moment for the legal profession in Kenya, as the candidates advocate for inclusivity and diversity within the organization.
Faith Odhiambo, LSK Vice Chairperson
Leading the charge is Faith Odhiambo, who is currently serving as the Vice Chairperson of the Law Society of Kenya.
The former Board Secretary of the Federation of Women Lawyers-Kenya is running to replace LSK president Eric Theuri.
She is a lecturer at the University of Nairobi School of Law where she teaches Law of Business Associations, Banking Law, Competition Law and Consumer Protection Law.
Faith has experience in litigation, corporate and commercial law, telecommunications law, and competition law.
Likewise, Faith Odhiambo previously worked with the Competition Authority of Kenya where she was tasked with the role of advising on the interpretation of legal provisions regarding violations under restrictive trade practices, merger transactions and consumer protection complaints.
In 2017, she was also involved in a Retail Market Study of Kenya, Advisory Projects for Competition in the Mobile financial services in Tanzania, as well as the Advisory projects on Spectrum Management in Kenya.
Faith holds an LLB (Hons) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and an LLM (Hons) in International Commercial Law with European Law from University of Kent (UK).
She is also a Certified Public Secretary, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators-UK (MCIarb).
To add on, the LSK Presidential hopeful is a PhD student at the University of Nairobi.
Also Read: LSK President Eric Theuri Cleared for JSC Job
Harriet Njoki Mboce
Joining Odhiambo in the race for LSK presidency is Harriet Njoki Mboce an accomplished Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
She is also a scholar, policy consultant as well as a certified civil and commercial mediator and qualified arbitrator.
Njoki is a member of the LSK Council (representing Nairobi), co-convener of the committees on in-house counsel and cross-border practices, and a member of the audit and risk committees as well as devolution.
Just like her counterpart Faith, Mboce also teaches law at the University of Nairobi, where she is also a Doctoral Scholar.
Her teaching courses include Law, Democracy & Governance, Administrative Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Maritime Law.
As an advocate, she handles the various cases under the firm name Njoki Mboce & Company Advocates. Some of the cases include complex political and constitutional litigation, alternative conflict and dispute settlement, public policy advice, constitutional, legislative, and policy formulation.
She is an Associate Member of the Association of Maritime Practitioners – Kenya (Assoc AMP-K) and a pro bono trial advocacy trainer with Justice Advocacy Africa and Trial Advocacy Training Institute.
Mboce is a founding member of multi-disciplinary think tanks and centers of excellence including Utafiti Hub (socio-political-economic governance) and Maritime Centre (ocean governance).
Harriet aims to champion initiatives that empower legal professionals and enhance their overall well-being.
Also Read: LSK Takes Stance on Ahmednasir Supreme Court Ban
Carolyne Kamende Former LSK Vice Chairperson
The third among the three candidates, is Carolyne Kamende an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya who served as the 49th Vice-president of LSK under the tenure of Nelson Havi.
Carolyne is the chairperson of the African Bar Association (AFBA)-Kenya Forum, a professional body of lawyers and national legal associations in Africa.
Kamende has previously worked as a legal Assistant at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda where she served for a year.
In her role, she conducted legal research and assisted duty counsel in case preparation.
The LSK presidential hopeful is a leading specialist in Family Law, Constitutional and Criminal Law, Corporate and Commercial Law and Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution with 16 years of experience as an advocate of the High Court.
Also, during her tenure as the organization’s vice chair, Kamende co-chaired the LSK Gender Committee which formulated the LSK Sexual Harassment and Anti-Bullying Policies.
She has vowed to champion and safeguard the rule of law and constitutionalism as well as to uphold the independence of the judiciary.
Other Contestants
Nevertheless, these three candidates among the five in total running for the LSK presidential bid are engaging in spirited debates, articulating their visions for the organization and how they plan to navigate the complex legal landscape in Kenya.
The candidate that emerges victorious in February 2024 will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of the legal profession in Kenya, setting the stage for a more inclusive and equitable legal system.
Similarly, former council member Bernard Ng’etich and city lawyer Peter Wanyama are among the five candidates contesting for the post.
Besides the seat of the president and his/her deputy, other seats up for grabs are the council membership seats and those representing the regions at the national council.
Once elected to office by members, the LSK president serves a two-year term.
