Rwanda, Burundi lawyers barred from practising law in Kenya
Lawyers from Rwanda and Burundi barred from practising law in Kenya until Kenyan advocates can work in the respective countries.
In Summary
- Lawyers from Rwanda and Burundi will not be able to practise law in Kenya.
- Tanzania and Uganda lawyers are currently allowed to practice law in Kenya in accordance with provisions of sections 12 and 13 of the Advocates Act.
Lawyers from Rwanda and Burundi are now barred from practising law in Kenya until such a time when Kenyan advocates will be allowed to work in the two countries.
The National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has called upon the East African Community to address the matter before Kenya could consider opening trade in legal services to Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan.
“Without mutual and equivalent harmonisation, there should not be reciprocity,” the committee said.
Thirteen Kenyan lawyers admitted to the Rwandan Bar Association (RBA) have presented a Petition in Kenyan Parliament to challenge this exclusion. They want the Chief Justice to be allowed to swear and enrol lawyers from the two countries to practice in Kenya.
Parliament had amended the Advocates Act to include the two countries but in 2019 the Court of Appeal struck down the changes.
Currently, Tanzania and Uganda lawyers are allowed to trade their business in Kenya.
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