Lawyers from the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Burundi could in the near future be allowed to start practice law in Kenya if a Bill seeking to amend the Advocates Act is passed by Parliament.
The proposed legislation, dubbed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya, wants MPs to amend regulations governing the practice of law in the country to allow lawyers from Burundi and Rwanda work and practise in the country.
Baya, who is also the deputy leader of the majority party in the National Assembly, says that the Burundi and Rwanda lawyers, will however, be allowed to practice in Kenya upon receiving the relevant professional and academic qualifications.
He argues that opening up the space to other lawyers from neighboring countries, will among other things, strengthen the East African Community (EAC) spirit.
He says that citizens of other member States should be accorded equal treatment as Uganda and Tanzania.
“The East African Treaty obligates the EAC to ensure that there is a standardization of their syllabi and in my previous presentation before the Budget Committee, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) had undertaken measures to ensure that there is harmonization of what is taught in Rwanda and Burundi.
“Kenyans are practicing in other countries within EAC, but Kenya has only opened doors to Uganda and Tanzania,” says Baya.
The MP made the presentations during a session with the National Assembly’s departmental committee of Justice and Legal Affairs which has for the last couple of months been scrutinizing various Bills set for debate in the House.
Other Bills also being considered by the committee include the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill. The Bill seeks to amend the Political Parties Act 2011, to provide for the establishment, functions, staffing and administration of the Offices of the Official Opposition Leader and the Office of the Deputy Opposition Leader.
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