Why I salute the late Justice Hayanga

In Issue No. 88- May 2023, Opinions
May 02, 2023
The loss of a groundbreaking and brilliant legal mind is one that will be deeply felt by any society. Justice A. I Hayanga, who died as we were going to press was such a figure within the Kenyan legal system. His contribution to emerging constitutionalism and respect for human rights and access to justice will remain a shining legacy and I can personally attest to this.

In a functioning constitutional democracy, an impartial and independent judiciary with the power to remedy breaches of fundamental rights is indispensable. Justice Hayanga understood this and used his legal acumen to further cement the supremacy of the Constitution in the protection of fundamental constitutional rights. This was almost a decade before the adoption of our new Constitution in 2010.

Although these rights are now fully enshrined under the 2010 Constitution, in the landmark case of Dominic Arony Amolo v AG (2003), Justice Hayanga set the pace for expanded protection of human rights by opening up access to justice for thousands of Kenyans who were the victims of limitation of action defence in the Government Proceedings Act that the KANU government used to rely on to lock out genuine human rights actions.

I had the privilege of arguing the case and responding to a preliminary point of law seeking to dismiss the case on the alleged ground that the suit was time-barred. The late judge held that the Constitution is supreme in matters touching fundamental rights and therefore, the Limitation of Actions Act did not apply to actions brought under the Constitution. This momentous ruling became the point of reference for all petitions and judicial review applications, especially by Kenyans who had long been prevented by state machinery from enjoying fundamental freedoms and rights.

Today in Kenya, court judgments and judicial pronouncements routinely maintain that the government is constitutionally mandated to operate within the bounds of the Constitution and protect individual rights from infringement by the state.

As Justice Hayanga is laid to rest, his contributions to the place of judicial review in modern-day Kenya will remain a central legal safeguard against administrative injustice, oppression and arbitrariness against the people.

His dedication to upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of all Kenyans will not be forgotten, and his legacy will continue to inspire current and future generations of legal professionals. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Gitobu Imanyara
/ Published posts: 2

Hon. Gitobu Imanyara is a Kenyan Advocate and journalist with over 40 years of experience in the field of law and journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honors from the University of Nairobi and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Ken-ya School of Law. He is also a graduate with a Master of Laws in International Criminal Justice from Strathmore University. Mr. Imanyara has extensive experience practicing as an Advocate at both trial and appellate levels in both criminal and civil matters and court martial in Kenya. In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Imanyara is also a prominent figure in the field of journalism. He is the Founder, Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Nairobi Law Monthly from 1987 to 2003 and The Platform for Law, Justice & Society Magazine from December 2014 to date. He has also served as an International Board Member of Article 19 and a member of the International Advisory Editorial Board of Human Rights Quarterly. Mr. Imanyara has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of freedom and democracy, including the Prize for Freedom from Liberal International, the Golden Pen of Freedom from the International Federation of Newspaper Publishers, and the Human Rights Award from the International Human Rights Law Group. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Central Imenti Constituency from 1997-2002 and 2007-2012, and as a Member and Kenya Delegation Leader of the Pan African Parliament from 2007-2012. He has also served as International Board Member of the London based Article 19. Hon. Gitobu is the Publisher & Editor in Chief of The Platform for Law, Justice & Society.

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