Madam President, members of the Council and the Law Society of Kenya. Amnesty International Kenya is very pleased and honored to offer keynote remarks at the Law Society gala dinner to honor advocates who provided legal representation to protesters.
Despite 11% more lawyers coming to the bar each year, 50% of Kenyans experience conflict with the law at least once every 4 years. 63% of our cases would be resolved with more legal literacy and empowerment. Our police stations, courts and prisons would be less congested. Without this congestion, the correctional system could concentrate on transformative and rehabilitative justice. This is why the recently concluded LSK annual legal empowerment week is so important to Kenya.
LSK has had an incredible year. You have directly or with others addressed or followed up on most of the 60 unlawful killings, 71 illegal abductions and 1,600 arbitrary arrests. We may not have saved everyone, but you consistently showed up. Your phones hovered at 5% battery but you came out time and time again to represent protesters, many of whom this was their first time to be arrested. May your phones remain charged and free of surveillance. As we said at the LSK Annual Conference in August, we see you, we honour and admire you.
Three years ago, at the height of COVID-19, Mau Mau Veterans Association Secretary General Gitu wa Kahengeri looked former KMPDU Secretary General Chibanzi Mwachonda in the eye while receiving his vaccination. He said, “We went to the forests for our children could go to school and protect us from this small but deadly virus in another state of emergency”. Let me offer you a prediction today. In a few decades from today, this year’s emerging young leaders will look you in the eyes and thank you for protecting this woke generation.
If the thief of our joy today is cynicism, let our power, our authentic power be in showing up to be, act with or protect those that want better for our nation. These are not normal times. Don’t adjust, stay maladjusted, stay unreasonable.
I express Amnesty Kenya’s solidarity and voice whenever you face intimidation while persuading justice. Thank you always for your courage, LSK and the 150 members who will receive awards this evening.
May we Back The Brave always.
Irungu Houghton
Amnesty International Section Director
Nairobi, 1 November