Senior Counsel Nelson Havi has come to the defence of newly elected Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Charles Kanjama following criticism from a section of Kenyans who accused him of failing to take a firm public stand on emerging national concerns.
In a statement, Havi argued that the constitutional duty to uphold and protect the rule of law primarily rests with the President of the Republic and Parliament, not the LSK.
He maintained that the society and its president operate within a specific statutory mandate defined under the LSK Act, and should not be expected to shoulder responsibilities assigned to elected state officers.
“A majority of advocates elected Charles Kanjama on a clear manifesto directed at members of the Bar,” Havi said, cautioning against pressure for the LSK president to “run from one police station to another” securing the release of detained citizens.
He noted that during his own tenure at the helm of the LSK, he did not adopt such an approach.
Havi referenced past instances where he says he faced backlash for taking controversial positions, including opposing COVID-19 containment measures under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, challenging the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), and pursuing the dissolution of Parliament over failure to implement the two-thirds gender rule.
He also cited his defence of politicians such as Oscar Sudi and Cleophas Malala when they clashed with the Executive.
According to Havi, those now criticising Kanjama are the same voices that trivialise the legal profession.
He urged Kenyans to direct accountability demands to elected leaders, particularly as the country heads toward the 2027 General Election.
He further pointed out that Kenya has more than 20 professional bodies with their own leadership structures, arguing that the burden of safeguarding governance cannot rest solely on the LSK.
Instead, he called on citizens to exercise their democratic power at the ballot, beginning with voter registration ahead of the August 2027 polls.