Law students and faculty from the Mount Kenya University (MKU) School of Law in Nairobi have hosted their counterparts from Rwanda’s Mount Kigali University School of Law this week, who had been on a benchmarking tour of Kenya.
The law students toured MKU facilities in Kenya and interacted with other legal institutions, 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, “Emerging Regional and National Issues on Alternative Dispute Resolution,” delivered at the MKU Kenya School of Law in Nairobi. Ms Jacqueline Waihenya, the Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, Kenya, lectured on the Evolution of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Africa, including lessons from traditional justice and emerging trends.
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 artefacts and documents.
Comparative perspectives
Prof Fructuose Bigirimana, Dean of the MKU-R School of Law, delivered an exchange lecture on the Gacaca courts and Rwanda’s unique approach to community-based justice and reconciliation. MKU’s Centre facilitated the sessions for International and Development Law (CIDLaw), an international legal research centre 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 of 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.
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.
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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).
Exchange programmes
“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 practised 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 centred on theories of punishment, sentence mitigation, prison reforms, and governance within the Justice, Law, and Order Sector (GJLOS) reform programmes.
The programme also included a visit to the 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 it, he will share insights into the LSK Nakuru Branch’s role and activities, 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 benchmarking tour to Kenya. They were introduced to a rich academic environment, faculty, and the incredible support system available,” Ngayu said.
By Kamau Njoroge
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