After a rigoruos campaign like no other, the new officials of the Law Society of Kenya have the unenviable task of rebuilding what was once a formidable association from the ramshackle organisation it has become.
When Kenya’s history is written, the LSK will take a special place. That is largely because of the role its luminaries played in the so-called Second Liberation struggle.
For the past two years, the LSK has been like a headless chicken, a voiceless warrior and an empty vessel in the middle of deep waters being rocked from side to side by political interests, personal egos and the lust for supremacy.
Despite enjoying immense goodwill, bouyed on by their rallying call Okoa LSK (salvage LSK), the new team did not sparkle and consequently failed to reignite the crucial role played by their predecessors in the fight for human rights, political freedom and multi-party democracy and the supremacy of the rule of law.
Allen Gichuhi, the new LSK president together with his Council have their work cut out. They must now show the country that they are an independent professional body eager to stand up to those keen to bend the arch of history towards lawlessness, intolerance and injustice.
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Needless to say; the outgoing Council lacked the inspiration and the vigour to question injustices; it lacked the courage to challenge status quo. For example, in 2017, it chose to have its head in the clouds in the midst of a political storm that almost tore the country apart.
Theirs was a self-inflicted hunt for glory, during which the LSK Council was divided down the middle. The officials were either Jubilee or NASA affiliated.
Mr Gichuhi and his team should look at what caused them to make the mistakes to help the society find its voice and footing again.
Kenyans want to see a professional society acting as a voice of reason amidst the cacophony of partisan political noise; Kenyans want to see a professional society standing up for the rule of law; Kenyans want to see a professional society taking the bull by its horns; if nothing else, Kenyans want to see a professional society defending the rights of the poor, the downtrodden.
