Lawyers decry Chief Justice David Maraga's busy schedule

Lawyers who completed the Advocates' Training Program and were cleared for Admission to the Roll of Advocates have decried the Chief Justice's busy schedule and uncertainty in ordering their Admission to the Bar.

The lawyers who completed the program from as early as the year 2015 took to social media and other platforms where they have petitioned the CJ to admit them to the Bar before the year ends. 

This follows the Publication of a Gazette on 8th November 2019, where the Council of Legal Education cleared over 800 Lawyers for Admission as advocates.

Under the Advocates Act, the Chief Justice can order the Admission of Advocates any time after the expiry of 30 days from the date of the Gazette. 

The lawyers claim that the failure of the CJ to order their Admission before the end of the year will greatly prejudice them, even as the Court closes in December. 

This comes after a group of two lawyers recently presented a petition before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee seeking to reduce the Period from 90 to 30 days and allow the DCJ or any Supreme Court Judge to perform this role in the absence of the Chief Justice.

The lawyers have taken to Social media and used the hashtags DearCJ and Admit827 in a bid to ask the CJ to exercise this discretion. 

The Law Society of Kenya Presidential elections will be held in February 2020, and a number of aspirants have taken up the matter to assist the lawyers in getting the CJ's attention.

Each year, lawyers set for Admission have decried the uncertainties in this process as the Law Society of Kenya tightens its fight against quack lawyers.

The Chief Justice is set to admit only 34 Lawyers to the Bar this 4th December 2019 at the Supreme Court Buildings.