Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Nelson Havi has cited betrayal by former colleagues at the body's headquarters and Nairobi office after he lost out to countryman Ramadhan Abubakar Mukira in the race to lead East Africa's 28,000-member strong legal body.
Mr Mukira, a leading lawyer from Kenya was elected President at the East Africa Law Society’s 29th Annual General Meeting held at the Speke Resort and Conference Centre, Munyonyo, in Kampala Uganda. He beat his competitor, Mr Havi by 273 votes to 139.
Mr Mukira previously served as the Vice President of EALS. It was Kenya’s turn to take over the top job.
Mr Mukira takes to the helm of the regional law body at a time when the East African Community is celebrating 25 years.
He takes over from Justice Dr Fauz Twaib from Tanzania who has been at the helm of the EALS since 2023.
Justice Twaib is a retired Judge, a partner and head, of litigation and arbitration practice, at Rex Advocates, Dar es Salaam.
“Mr Mukira is an accomplished award-winning Kenyan lawyer. He is the Founder and Managing Partner at Ramadhan Mukira and Company Advocates, a law firm based in Nairobi – Kenya,” said David Sigano, chief executive officer of the EALS.
Mr Havi later penned a satirical piece stating how he was betrayed by fellow Kenyan lawyers he had ferried in four buses, who chose to vote for his opponent.
“At his request this morning, I gave General Jamu command to leave all 61 traitors behind and if possible, have them shot dead and thrown into the River Nile,” he said in the four-page statement full of satire.
Mr Havi was, however, quick to add that personally, he does not like (spilling) blood.
According to Mr Havi, he was “betrayed” by people he put in office at LSK Nairobi Branch and the LSK headquarters on Gitanga Road.
“So on the night before the election, we set temporary tent command at Non Vie to welcome the 155 BNB soldiers who had crossed the border and arrived “on foot” from Kenya. That is the maximum number with which any candidate from Kenya wins an EALS President election,” he said adding that he targeted to win the seat with over 200 votes.
The former LSK president quipped that like LSK, the EALS has been taken over by ‘despots and government’.
“The EALS club will not admit ordinary and human rights domestic and cross-border practitioners like you and I to its leadership. I realised this on the first day of the conference when all our detractors at LSK were in charge, and was contended with it. After all, how would I have served in an organization financed and controlled by them?” he posed.
The EALS is the most important watchdog on human rights, rule of law and good governance, regularly over-sighting the Community processes for compliance.
Mr Sigano welcomed the new chairman saying that the EALS, which is marking 25 years since it was established, has been instrumental in supporting the East African Community, especially at the East African Court of Justice where it is the largest public interest litigator.
“Within this period, the East Africa Law Society has been critical in supporting the growth of the Community, actively participating in significant legal processes including drafting of protocols, laws and policies governing the Community,” said Mr Sigano in a statement.
“The body is also the most important watchdog on human rights, rule of law and good governance, regularly oversighting Community processes for compliance. Where violations persist, the Society takes legal action and is the largest public interest litigator at the East African Court of Justice.”
He also extended his gratitude to Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan who donated 10 acres of land for the construction of the EALS headquarters.
“We were given 10 acres of land in Arusha by President Samia. We are in the process of building the Society’s headquarters. We take this opportunity to thank her for the good gesture she has extended to us,” said Sigano.
It has over 28,000 individual members, and also has seven national Bar associations as members, in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
