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| Former Deputy Chief Justice: Nancy Baraza |
“In three words, I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.” These words of the famous American poet Robert Frost best illustrate the move by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza to join the University of Nairobi’s School of Law as a lecturer.
University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor, Prof George
Magoha, said that Ms Baraza has a lot to offer law students following
her experience at the reformed Judiciary. “She has contributed a lot to the legal fraternity
and is expected to bring a wealth of experience to the teaching of law
at the university,” Prof Magoha said.
Although it is not yet clear what course she will
teach, Ms Baraza is expected to bring changes to the faculty whose
certificate of recognition by the Council of Legal Education is yet to
be renewed. She did not answer calls or reply to text messages left on her phone as the Sunday Nation sought her comment on the move.
Law Society of Kenya chairman Eric Mutua supported
her move to return to teaching. Ms Baraza has previously taught law at
Kenyatta University’s Parklands campus. “The world of academia is different from the
Judiciary where she was dispensing justice. Nothing would bar her from
pursuing a career in teaching even in a public institution like the
University of Nairobi,” Mr Mutua said. “The standards that were applied at the Judiciary
are not the same in the world of academia where she will be empowering
students,” he added.
Alongside Ms Baraza, other law lecturers including
Justice Mary Ang’awa and lnternational law scholar, Dr Godfrey Musila,
were being considered for positions at the School of Law.
Justice Ang’awa is one of the judges found
unsuitable to continue serving in the Judiciary by the Judges and
Magistrates Vetting Board. As part of efforts to meet the requirements
of the Council of Legal Education for renewal of accreditation, the
university last year appointed Prof Kameri-Mbote as the Dean of Faculty
while Prof Musili Wambua and Prof Albert Mumma were appointed her
deputies.
Founded in 1970, the school has failed to meet the
requirements in terms of the number of lecturers, books (both online
and hardcopies) as well as physical facilities. According to the
requirements, an institution offering a law degree must have at least
five copies of core titles for each course and 2,000 electronic journals
and other relevant books on law.
Prof Kameri-Mbote noted that the school has since
constructed a state-of-the-art moot court for students to simulate cases
and was now ready for renewal of its certificate of accreditation.
“Whatever happened during her (Baraza) tenure at
the Judiciary is in the public domain and we believe that it will not
influence her ability to teach law. Her CV is very impressive and she
has a lot to offer our students,” Prof Magoha said.
The former DCJ served as a lesson in humility as
the country watched the proceedings of a tribunal appointed by President
Kibaki to investigate her conduct and suitability to remain in office
after she had pinched the nose of a security guard who tried to screen
her at the entrance of a shopping mall.
Ms Rebecca Kerubo later lodged a complaint with
the police claiming Ms Baraza had assaulted her, threatened her with a
gun and warned her that “you should know people”. The incident sparked
public uproar prompting the Judicial Service Commission to petition the
President to suspend Ms Baraza and form a tribunal to look into her
conduct. Then, Ms Baraza had only been in office as the deputy chief
justice of the Supreme Court for six months.
The public was treated to drama as the country’s
second most powerful judge became the subject of a prosecution. And,
although witnesses gave contradictory accounts of what happened that
fateful evening, the tribunal concluded that Ms Baraza had acted
improperly and recommended her removal from office.
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