Chaos and complaints raged the Law Society of Kenya Special General Meeting that was held on 19 January 2021. The meeting reportedly bringing together over 3500 members, was mired in chants and rebellion as Lawyers deliberated over the Agenda items.
The meeting had been convened to discuss among others, the appointment of Auditors and Counsel to represent the Lawyers’ Professional Body in suits filed against it in court. This came after the Governing Council was unable to reach a consensus on the direction to take.
The 13-member Council, each elected on a separate vote and mandate have differed over a number of years since 2020.
While the Notice convening the Meeting had indicated that it would be a hybrid of Physical and Virtual attendance through the Zoom Platform only about 300 members were allowed to attend in physically as another 3,000 attended through the online platform.
A number of Motions were tabled, amended and deliberated upon, the climax being the suspension of 8 members of the Governing Council.
The motion, which was filed by among others City Lawyers Hellen Ringera and Sylvester Mbithi, sought to suspend a faction of members of the Governing Council. The motion was however amended by Acclamation of members to include all other Council members and was voted on in the affirmative, thereby effectively suspending the entire Governing Council.
The Resolution, presided over by the Society’s President, Nelson Havi has however now attracted mixed reactions with a number of Council members decrying the manner of voting, while the President, as other members claim the motion did not affect the President, Vice President and 2 other Council members.
The Society has nevertheless successfully challenged the intended Swearing in of Nairobi Deputy Governor to the position of Governor following a court order suspending the event pending the hearing of the case.
Compiled by Moses B. Onyango
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