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Citizens of Burundi and Rwanda will be eligible for admission as Advocates in Kenya, should a new bill pass.

 The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya seeks to have the advocates practice in Kenya in light of the fact that these countries are members of the East African community and thus should be accorded equal treatment as Uganda and Tanzania.

 According to Baya, this will strengthen the East African Community (EAC) spirit.  This, however, is subject to them having the relevant professional and academic qualifications.

“The East African Treaty obligates the EAC to ensure that there is a standardisation of their syllabi and in my previous presentation before the Budget Committee, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) had undertaken measures to ensure that there is harmonization of what is taught in Rwanda and Burundi. Kenyans are practising in other countries within EAC, but Kenya has only opened doors to Uganda and Tanzania,” said Baya.

 The Court of Appeal on September 27, 2019, struck down some sections of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2012, citing lack of public participation and the ongoing reform process.

The sections that were struck down include amendments to sections 12 and 13 of the Advocates Act, Cap 16, which allowed Citizens of Rwanda and Burundi to be eligible.

Reform process

  “The court of Appeal, vide appeal No 96 of 2014- Law Society of Kenya vs The Attorney General and 2 others on 27th September 2019 struck down some sections of the statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) act 2012 citing lack of public participation and the ongoing reform process,” reads the bill.

Meanwhile Bumula MP Wamboka Wanami has defended his Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2023 saying if passed this will be a game changer in Kenyan politics.

 Appearing before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chaired by Tharaka MP George Gitonga Murugara, offices will promote active participation by individual citizens in political life including organising civic education in democracy and other electoral processes; and influencing and shaping public opinion on matters of good governance, democracy and electoral processes.