Kenyan Lawyer Elected to Head Commonwealth Law Body
A Senior Parliamentary Staff from Kenya has been elected to lead a global group of legal drafters.
Dr Johnson Okello, who is the Director of Legal Service in the Senate in Kenya, was elected the President of the Multi-National Association of Legislative Counsel (CALC) during its general meeting in Jamaica.
He becomes the first African jurist to hold the position in the body’s 40-year history.
The election of Dr. Okello is a major achievement for the Parliament of Kenya, the legal fraternity in the country and Africa at large.
An expert in Legislative Drafting, Dr. Okello was elected by peers from Member Countries of the global body in an online voting that took place April, 2024.
He takes over from Andy Beattie who comes from Scotland. He will head the body for the next two years.
Dr Okello was admitted to the bar in 1998. He holds a PhD in law and has more than two decades experience in legal practice.
“I thank you all most sincerely for the trust and the faith you have shown by giving me the opportunity to spearhead the Association,” said Dr. Okello when he took over from Beattie during the ceremony held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and which ended on Thursday May 15.
Dr. Okello thanked the membership for believing in him and bestowing to him the leadership of the Association at its pivotal point of reaching 40 years since it was founded.
He commended members for their dedication, commitment and hard work in ensuring that the Association remains alive to achieve its mandate.
Before his election, Dr Okello had served as Council Member to the body, representing Africa Region for three terms.
He promised to reinvigorate Regional Branches and ensure that the ideals of CALC are felt by the wider Membership. He also encouraged Members to continue sharing knowledge by contributing to the legal journals and publications as one of the ways of sharing knowledge.
“We must grow, I will propel growth and development of the Association through creating professional regional offices that can transact business for the Association at close reach”, stated Dr Okello.
“When professionals meet at close range, it creates room for the growth and development of the Association as emerging issues are delt with on real-time basis,” he emphasized.
Beattie congratulated Dr. Okello saying that it was an honour to nominate him for the position. He assured members that, with Dr. Okello, CALC was in safe hands.
“I take this opportunity to thank you Members for your support during my reign. I am delighted to welcome my colleague in leadership and assure you that in him the association is secure,” said Mr Beattie
He implored Members to give adequate support to the new president to ensure a smooth running of the Association.
CALC is an association engaged in legislative drafting and other related legal work involving law making process.
The body was established in 1983 in Hong Kong alongside Commonwealth Law Conference.
It is a fully accredited organisation of the Commonwealth.
Dr Okello is a ranking Member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and East Africa Law Society.
He is currently serving as Secretary General of Africa Colloquium for Legal Counsels Serving in Parliaments.
He has a versed experience in the field of Law having worked in private practice, served in the Government.
He started off as a State counsel before moving into private practice. During his career, he has taught at the Kenya School of Law and served as Legal Sector Reform Specialist under World Bank/ GOK Legal and Financial Sector Reform project.
Besides he has also drafted many legislation in Kenya and represented Kenya at the East Africa Community Harmonisation of Laws in EAC where he drafted many of the protocols that are implementing the EAC Treaty.
Dr Okello has trained most lawyers in the region and beyond in Legislative Drafting.