Law students and faculty from the Mount Kenya University (MKU) School of Law in Nairobi have this week hosted their counterparts from Rwanda’s Mount Kigali University School of Law who had been on a bench-marking tour of Kenya.
The law students toured not just MKU facilities in Kenya but also interacted with other legal institutions in Kenya, including the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Law Society of Kenya.
On Monday, the students attended a special Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Lecture that was themed “Emerging Regional and National Issues on Alternative Dispute Resolution,” delivered at the MKU Kenya School of Law in Nairobi.
At the Supreme Court of Kenya, Honourable Lady Justice Njoki Ndung’u lectured the visitors on jurisdiction, roles and key jurisprudence developed by the Supreme Court. The visit also included a guided tour of the Judiciary Museum, which showcased Kenya’s rich judicial history through preserved legal artifacts and documents.
Prof Fructuose Bigirimana, Dean of the MKU-R School of Law delivered an exchange lecture on the Gacaca courts, Rwanda’s unique approach to community-based justice and reconciliation. The sessions were facilitated by MKU’s Centre for International and Development Law (CIDLaw), an international legal research center based at the university’s School of Law in Parklands. School of Law in Parklands.
“This session offered students comparative perspectives on legal systems and transitional justice,” said Ms Judy Ngayu, Director, and CIDLaw. “Students also engaged arbitrators in a session designed to equip them with practical arbitration and mediation skills—critical tools in today’s evolving legal landscape,” she said.
Ngayu also announced that CIDLaw is in the process of expanding to serve Mount Kigali University’s School of Law, a move that would ensure that both Kenyan and Rwandan students benefit from research opportunities, alternative dispute resolution training and career development programmes.
“Our mission is to bridge the gap between legal education and practice through research and policy advocacy, training in ADR, international, and development law as well as professional networking and mentorship,” Ngayu said.
The students also participated in a moot court competition where they simulated real court proceedings to sharpen their advocacy skills before experienced legal practitioners. The 40 participating students, 20 from the MKU School of Law, Nairobi and 20 from Mount Kigali University School of Law, visited the Supreme Court of Kenya, where they gained first-hand insights into the structure of Kenya’s judiciary.
They later visited the Parliament of Kenya, where they were engaged in discussions on the origin, development and impact of laws, the process of drafting and passing legislation, and the roles of the National Assembly and Senate. Additionally, there was a special focus on devolution and the impact of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“So far, the visit has been insightful for our young people from Rwanda, but their counterparts are also learning. We hope to replicate this in the future, where we will have exchange programmes where even Kenyan students can visit Rwanda and see how the law is practiced there,” Ngayu said.
The students also planned to gain insights into Kenya’s correctional systems with a visit to the Nairobi Industrial Area Remand and Prison. Key discussions here were to centre on theories of punishment, sentence mitigation, prison reforms, and governance within the Justice, Law, and Order Sector (GJLOS) reform programmes.
Also on the programme was a visit to Rwandan Embassy in Kenya, where the learners were to engage in discussions on international legal systems, global trends, and best practices in diplomacy and legal affairs.
Later in the week, the students will be hosted at the MKU Nakuru Campus, where Lawrence Karanja, former Chairman of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Nakuru Branch, will deliver a keynote address in which he will share insights into the role and activities of the LSK Nakuru Branch, his personal experiences as an advocate, and practical advice for law students.
“We welcomed our first-ever cohort of law students from Mount Kigali University as they begin their bench-marking tour to Kenya. They were introduced to a rich academic environment, faculty, and the incredible support system available to them,” Ngayu said.
Muraya Kamunde
