Kenya News updates

   Lawyers Hub founder and CEO Lindah Obonyo has called for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies to safeguard the integrity, transparency and fairness of elections in Kenya. Speaking during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Conference, Obonyo said Kenya must develop clear regulations governing the use of AI in electoral processes to ensure technology does not undermine the constitutional requirement for free and fair elections. Obonyo, whose organisation works on AI policy across Africa and globally, said emerging technologies were increasingly influencing elections, creating new risks that electoral institutions must be prepared to address. She highlighted concerns around cyber-security, data exploitation and AI-driven micro-targeting, warning that some of these technologies operate in ways that may be difficult for voters and regulators to detect. According to Obonyo, Kenya needs stronger systems to identify and address the m...

Advocate Kenneth Wilson,  has urged lawyers to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), warning that practitioners who fail to adapt to emerging technologies risk being left behind. Wilson said claims that AI would replace lawyers were misplaced, arguing that the technology would instead give an advantage to legal practitioners who learn how to use it effectively. «“Lawyers who adapt to the use of artificial intelligence are the ones who will replace the lawyers who do not want to adapt to it,” Wilson said.» Speaking on the sidelines of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) conference, Wilson said AI is no longer a technology of the future but a reality that is already transforming legal practice. He noted that one of the key steps taken by LSK this year has been to sensitise its members on the growing role of AI and encourage lawyers to understand and responsibly integrate the technology into their work. Wilson also pointed to the Judiciary's adoption of AI tools, including tech...

Lawrence Kinyanjui has urged young lawyers to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful tool for improving legal practice rather than viewing it as a threat to their jobs. Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Law Society of Kenya conference, Kenyanjui said the conference had provided an important platform for advocates to exchange ideas, learn new technologies and understand the growing impact of AI on the legal profession. He said this year’s theme, centred on “Business Unusual” and the impact of AI on legal practice, had been particularly instructive, challenging lawyers to keep pace with technological changes and find practical ways of integrating AI into their work. “AI is here to stay and we should see it as a friend and something that we must master rather than something that we must fight against,” Kenyanjui said. He acknowledged concerns among lawyers that AI could eventually replace professionals, but argued that the technology should instead be viewed...

Swanya Victor Ogeto, who is aspiring to become the next Governor of Nyamira County, has pledged to leverage technology, skills development and the county’s agricultural potential to drive economic transformation and create jobs for residents. Speaking during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Conference, Ogeto said modern leadership must embrace emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to improve decision-making and accelerate development. He said Nyamira County cannot operate in isolation and requires leaders with the knowledge and capacity to use modern tools to guide development and improve service delivery. Ogeto also identified corruption as a major obstacle to development, calling for stronger measures to seal financial leakages at both county and national levels. He said resources saved through fighting corruption should be redirected towards development projects, particularly infrastructure, education and programmes aimed at empowering young people...

Advocate E Katerina Handa has pledged to champion transparency, accountability and better access to justice if elected as the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) female representative to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Handa, who was admitted to the Roll of Advocates in 2007, said her decision to seek the position is driven by her extensive experience in legal practice and her desire to strengthen collaboration between the legal profession and the Judiciary. Speaking during a legal conference, Handa said the JSC plays a critical constitutional role in promoting access to justice, overseeing the administration of courts and managing human resources within the Judiciary. She said her experience serving in various LSK committees, including the Commercial Practice Committee, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee and Editorial Committee, had given her a deeper understanding of the challenges facing advocates. Handa identified delays in court processes and inefficienc...

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has called for clear regulations governing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the legal profession, warning that unchecked reliance on the technology could undermine the administration of justice. Speaking during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Annual Conference, Governor Kilonzo, who is also an Advocate of the High Court and Supreme Court of Kenya, said lawyers are increasingly using AI in their work, but the technology can sometimes provide inaccurate or nonexistent legal precedents. He said there is an urgent need for the legal profession to establish clear guidelines on how far lawyers can rely on AI, including mandatory disclosure when AI has been used in preparing legal submissions. “Technology has moved faster than law,” Governor Kilonzo said, calling on the Law Society of Kenya to develop regulations on AI use that can provide clear standards and penalties for misuse. He warned that citing a nonexistent precedent...