NAIROBI, Kenya- National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has urged the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to remain neutral in political matters and uphold objectivity when addressing governance issues affecting the country.
Speaking during a courtesy call by newly elected LSK officials led by its President Senior counsel Charles Kanjama, Speaker Wetang’ula said the society should position itself as an impartial defender of public interest and the rule of law.
“I urge you to avoid the temptation of becoming champions of either side in the political arena. Be an arbiter,” said the Speaker.
Wetang’ula expressed concern that some former leaders of the lawyers’ body had previously taken political positions soon after assuming office, a move he said had weakened the institution’s credibility.
“We elected you to be objective. Tell the government where you see excesses and tell the opposition where you see irresponsibility so that we can bring our country together. This is something I have seen missing in recent times,” he added.
The LSK officials proposed closer collaboration with Parliament to strengthen constitutionalism, the rule of law and good governance.
They said such cooperation would also complement Parliament’s oversight role over public institutions and state organs.
Kanjama said modern governance challenges require broad stakeholder engagement and multidisciplinary approaches.
“The society notes that contemporary governance challenges are increasingly complex and require stakeholder-driven approaches. Meaningful engagement will enhance public participation and contribute to the development of quality legislation,” he said.
The LSK president also revealed that the society had established a legal aid and awareness committee aimed at expanding access to justice.
Wetang’ula challenged the lawyers’ body to strengthen legal support for widows facing disinheritance and property disputes noting that many vulnerable women continue to suffer in silence.
“There are ordinary citizens who suffer immensely at the hands of people who are either connected or well-resourced, or both. Many widows are dispossessed of their property and the State does very little. We need to offer more pro bono services,” said the Speaker.
At the same time, Wetang’ula backed the LSK’s proposal for an audit of the 2010 Constitution to assess its implementation and identify areas that may require improvement.
“We need to examine whether there are aspects of the Constitution that are not working, what is working and what needs improvement, and where the gaps are,” he said.
However, he cautioned that any conversation on constitutional review must be handled carefully due to the political sensitivities surrounding the matter in Kenya.
“Every country undertakes constitutional review, but in Kenya, because of the high levels of suspicion, we must navigate the process very carefully. LSK is in a unique position to start such a conversation,” he added.
The meeting also discussed concerns over the duplication of roles among constitutional offices and independent commissions, with the LSK raising concerns about what it termed as growing interference with the independence of some commissions.
Wetang’ula said there was need to make the commissions more effective and accountable to ensure public resources allocated to them are properly utilised.