By Lucianne Limo

Former Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review, Atsango Chesoni is the new executive Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)

Atsango on Tuesday officially took over the helm of the human rights body from Muthoni Wanyeki who is proceeding to France for further studies.

Muthoni Wanyeki, the former KHRC boss is proceeding to France for further studies. Photo: File/Standard

Munyeki leaves by the end of the month after four years at the commission.

“I was asked to head the commission and I accepted. I am very excited with my new posting as KCHR is the grandmother of all the human rights organization in the country,” Chesoni said.

She said the human rights situation has changed tremendously in the past where human rights activists were persecuted and arrested for defending the rights of Kenyans.

“This is an exciting moment in history where civil society will have the opportunity to work with state agencies to improve human rights of all Kenyans,” said Chesoni.

Chesoni attributes this new dispensation to the new constitution and even the appointment of Chief Justice Willy Mutunga who once worked at KCHR.

Chesoni has worked as a consultant on governance, gender, human rights, anti-corruption and democracy issues.

She also has extensive experience working as human rights monitor both at the national and regional levels and has worked as a policy and legal reform adviser to several institutions including the Government, the African Union (AU) and several bilateral and multilateral institutions.

 She has written extensively on human rights, constitutionalism, institutional reform, regionalism, women rights, violence against women and gender mainstreaming in Kenya, South Sudan and at the African Union.