The Nairobi Diary:

Learning. Legacy. Leadership.

The Adinkra symbol of the Akans represents the essence of learning—Nea Onim—which loosely translates to “(s)he who does not know can learn”—a symbol emphasizing the importance and pursuit of knowledge through lifelong learning. The mission of the Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL)’s Women’s Excellence in Law and Leadership Academy (WELLA) is built on this foundation of fostering leadership and excellence in the legal profession through training. 

Learning: Nairobi proved to be a fertile ground for launching WELLA. On August 7^th 2025, IAWL hosted the first in-person WELLA on International Arbitration and Commercial Investment. With over 120 attendees in the room, the group of experts from Kenya, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, France, the US and Ghana provided cutting-edge knowledge on the growing trends in commercial arbitration.  The engagement of the participants in the room demonstrated that lifelong learning is essential to the growth of a legal mindset.

IAWL launches Leadership Academy in Nairobi

Legacy: On August 8^th, 2025, over 70 guests stood as Chief Justice Martha Koome entered the room. The event marked the launch of the book African Women Judges: Storytelling as Judicial Freedom (Dawuni, 2025). Unlike other book launches, the highlight was the presentation of the African Women in Law Legacy Award to four trailblazing judges—Justice Effie Owuor, Joyce Aluoch, Nancy Baraza, and Hannah Okwengu. Each woman exemplified pioneering leadership that has advanced women’s representation in Kenya's judiciary to its current state.

Honoring women judges in Kenya

Leadership: The IAWL train continued to the coastal city of Diani to participate in the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) annual conference. On August 13^th, 2025, I joined a panel of vibrant and active women’s rights advocates for the opening panel discussion during the Women’s Breakfast. The event was attended by over 200 women lawyers. A key highlight of the day for me was the warm welcome given to Faith Odhiambo, the second female president of the LSK. Her leadership has marked a significant turning point in the history of the Law Society, as she and her team have fearlessly spoken up for citizens and youth during periods of political unrest in Kenya. Faith Odhiambo’s leadership demonstrates that women leaders can be game-changers. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the LSK and IAWL is a testament to a female leader committed to advancing women in the profession.

IAWL-LSK sign MoU

Overall, August proved to be a very successful month for IAWL. The thousands of miles traveled, the hundreds of hours spent planning three major events, and the countless administrative interventions demonstrated that attention to detail and the pursuit of excellence do pay off.

Catch us on the next train………