Christian lawyers want to be enjoined in case filed by Andrew Mbugua

BY PAMELA CHEPKEMEI

Kenya: A case filed by a transgender   person against the national examinations body has taken a new twist after an association of Christian lawyers sought to take part in the proceedings.

The Kenyan Christian Lawyers Fellowship yesterday made an application before the High Court to be allowed to join the case lodged by Audrey Ithibu.

Lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui told High Court Judge Weldon Korir that the Christian lawyers should participate in the case because it has implications on practice of law.

Kinyanjui said the written application was ready and he was only waiting for the court to allow him file the document.

But the lawyer acting for Audrey informed the court that they will oppose the application by the Christian lawyers.

Justice Korir allowed Kinyanjui to file the case on behalf of the lawyers’ association.

He also directed Audrey’s lawyer to file an affidavit within two weeks.

The applications on whether the Christian lawyers’ association should be allowed to join the suit will be heard on September 2.

Audrey, who was born 29 years ago as Andrew Mbugua Ithibu, says she has decided to change her gender to a woman. She has sued the Kenya National Examination Council for refusing to change her academic certificates to reflect her new gender.

She wants the court to compel KNEC to change her examination certificate so that the name can reflect her current gender.

Audrey sat her secondary school national examination under the name Andrew Mbugua Ithibu.

After completing high school in 2001, Andrew decide she wanted to be of female gender and chose the name Audrey.

Audrey, who is currently a project officer at a lobby called Transgender Education & Advocacy, says she has attempted to undergo surgery to become a woman but the medical authorities have complicated matters for her

She was diagnosed with gender identity disorder after completing high school in 2001.