Kisumu County Young Lawyers caucus has threatened to boycott this year’s Law Society of Kenya elections over alleged discrimination of their members in the nomination process.
Young Bar Magistrates of Kisumu condemned the disqualification of Byron Menezes and other members, who had expressed interest in vying for various positions in the polls scheduled for February 29.
In a press briefing at the Kisumu law courts, the group expressed their dissatisfaction on the nomination process, terming it flawed and an elaborate attempt to lock out some potential candidates.
Yvonne Ogolla, a member of the LSK Kisumu chapter, said they will stand in solidarity with one of their members who was disqualified in unclear circumstances.
“Our candidate was disqualified because he was nominated by an advocate practising in Nairobi, which does not qualify as a reason for one’s disqualification as other aspirants are also always nominated by people from different parts of the country,” she said.
She is now urging the LSK board of elections to reconsider their stance and allow all candidates who expressed interest in various positions to vie.
Otieno Arnold, another member of the group, said “he was dismayed by the move that the Law Society of Kenya board had taken, by not only disqualifying Byron Menezes, who is a member of the Young Lawyers caucus, but also a majority of young advocates within Kenya.”
“Elections are not supposed to be decided on a technicality basis. The reason as to why Byron was disqualified is not only absurd but strange to all of us. Advocates practice in all parts of the country and, as such, there should be no limitations as to where one holds an office.”
The group is now threatening not to participate in Kisumu's elections without Byron's names on the ballot, until the LSK elections board resolves the issue.
