• She is well remembered for handling an arson case at Moi Girls’ High School, Nairobi.
• Magistrate says she honed her leadership skills during her university days.
Even though she is well rounded in all areas of law, she is well identified as the epitome of transformation in the Children’s Court and is well remembered for handling an arson case at Moi Girls’ High School, Nairobi.
In May last year, seven magistrates’ courts were feted for posting best results in various categories under the 2017-18-review period. Theresa Nyangena’s Milimani Children’s Court was ranked the best performing court on the management of children’s matters.
But who is Theresa Nyangena?
The senior principal magistrate at the Kiambu law courts is one of the five candidates eyeing the magistrates’ slot at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Others are Limuru senior principal magistrate Everlyne Olwande, Kiambu principal magistrate Stella Atambo, Kakamega-based Dolphina Alego and Shanzu-based Florence Macharia. They seek to replace Emily Ominde whose term is coming to an end. An election is set for December.
Nyangena says she is warm and jovial and prefers tending crops and animals when free. She was was born in Kisii, her native home. She has schooled and worked in different parts of the country. She was in Bungoma for her primary school education and in Limuru for her secondary education.
In 1997, Nyangena joined Moi University as a pioneer student in the School of Law. She was admitted to the bar in 2003. Later in 2013, she enrolled for a master’s programme at the University of Nairobi.
Nyangena is also an alumna of Commonwealth Primary School, Bungoma, where she sat her KCPE exam in 1991, and Limuru Girls’ High School where she sat her KCSE exam in 1995. She says she is no stranger to leadership and traces her leadership skills to her days as an undergraduate student.
“Even though I was in leadership from way back in primary school, it is at the university that the skills were honed. I sat in the law faculty board, assisting administrators in making the young faculty successful. This propelled me to sit at the topmost decision-making organ eventually,” she says.
The judicial officer has endeavoured to study all the laws available and says can interpret the law in every discipline. Her greatest, however, is constitutional law, which she says touches her heart as a leader because “it's the grand norm.”
Her decision to join the race, she says, was inspired by the need to demystify the Judiciary, make it transparent, accountable and open to serve all Kenyans in equal measure.
“We need to empower judicial officers to discharge their duties effectively and timely. Magistrates need support in terms of psychosocial treatment all through, and to enable information communications and technology,” she says.
“We need to remove the fear of making magistrates synonymous with corruption hence condemning the Judiciary unheard, remove the beast of tribalism and sexism from the corridors of justice by developing a neat transfer policy.”
She says magistrates need job security and social and economic security as they handle sensitive work involving both the poor and the high and mighty, hence face the risk of attack from unexpected quarters. To achieve this, however, they develop synergies, she adds.
Nyangena says she is the best candidate to represent magistrates because she has left a great, positive impact everywhere she has worked. That’s what makes a great leader, she asserts.
“My experience and having lived and worked with people from all over the world has broadened my view of humanity. We cannot judge people by any standards other than being human,” she says.
She says the Judiciary, like any other organisation, faces hurdles in its work. Nyangena says she is ready to be part of the solution, citing her long experience. She notes that a lot of gaps are to be filled in the management of the judicature and adds that tackling the problems makes it easy for magistrates and judges to interpret and apply the law — their key mandate.
“Our Constitution is our manual just like Christians use the Bible in their daily lives. We need proper and appropriate human resources policies, good remuneration, working tools, security for judicial officers, and our families, and continuous training,” she says.
Are critics of the Judiciary fair in their assessment of the performance of the institution? Nyangena doesn’t think so. She blames frequent attacks on the Judiciary on lack of understanding, saying it is in place as one of the three arms of government, thus needs support to serve all Kenyans well wherever they are.
On her assessment of the current JSC, she says it is well represented but needs genuine leadership. Nyangenya says an effective team must take the plunge, despite the risks involved, so Kenyans are full of admiration for the time and effort they put into their work.
“The Judiciary serves even foreigners within our borders. The Judiciary must respect itself to stand out and command respect from all quarters,” she says.
If elected, she adds, she will immediately ensure transparency in the courts. Nyangena says the administration of justice must be for all, including the government itself because the Judiciary is itself government.
“I will immediately establish the magistrates’ commissioner's office wherefrom l shall serve my constituency with dedication. The Judiciary must continue transforming as and when need arises. The law is not static.”
Nyangena began her career at Buluma and Co-Advocates as an associate. They mainly handled cases of criminal law and human rights, representing victims of torture, female genital mutilation, and gender-based violence.
The Rift Valley Law Society then appointed her to manage its office in Nakuru town and she was tasked with the implementation of the Children's Act, 2001, and office management.
The UK government then sponsored her to Britain on a working trip with a bias on children's rights and family law. While there, she sat with top family judges, something she says boosted her experience.
In 2007, she was appointed a magistrate and posted to Vihiga law courts, then later moved to Gatundu law court. She says her leadership skills came in handy when a fire razed the Gatundu court structure.
“We needed to reconstruct everything — court files, staff records, financial records, and the court building itself — to ensure everything was suitable,” she recalls.
“I have since served in Nanyuki, Machakos and Milimani where I headed the Children's Court, which was ranked the best in my tenure.”
And she says her life is incomplete without her family. She is married with two beautiful children, whom she decribes as young adults. Nyangena quickly cautions that she has no interest in people's personal lives.