CLA News / Foreword from Linda Kasonde, CLA Vice President Africa
Hello, and thank you for reading the latest edition of the Africa Hub newsletter! According to the United Nations, 70% of Africa’s population are under the age of 30 years. We have seen the push for more youth to have a seat at the table from Nigeria to South Africa. Recently the youth of Kenya made the might of their combined force felt as they swept the streets of Kenya to protest against the Finance Bill 2024 that threatened to increase the cost of living in Kenya amidst an already burgeoning economic crisis that has is being felt all over the world. In this edition, we hear from the President of the Law Society of Kenya, Faith Odhiambo, herself a heroic figure in attempts by the Law Society to protect the voice of the youth and to maintain its integrity. Greater attention needs to be paid to the youth on the Continent who are facing unemployment and a difficult future ahead in world that is not keeping pace with their needs and aspirations.
Although women make up over half the population in Africa, they too face marginalization on the basis of their gender. This is also reflected in the low number of women elected to the helm of Bar Associations across Africa. This year the Institute for African Women in Law has started a campaign to promote the election of more women to the top positions in their Bar Associations. Victoria Barth from Ghana is one such candidate who is seeking election as Vice-President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA). Despite having had women in the legal profession since 1947, the GBA has never elected a female President. Victoria speaks eloquently about encouraging women to expand their horizons in the legal profession. We wish her all the best in her campaign!
We also hear from Zambian lawyer and former Chairperson of the Anti-corruption Commission who knows all too well that when you fight the corrupt, the corrupt fight back. Corruption is a cancer that is literally stealing food out of the mouths of Africans. Public officials ought to be held to high standard where the management of public resources is concerned – a zero-tolerance policy. Too often a blind eye is turned when those in proximity to power are found wanting and it is time that citizens insisted on full transparency and accountability for those in public office.
Last but not least, this edition pays a special tribute to Sternford Moyo, a legal giant on the Continent who sadly passed away on 5th July 2024. He was a legal luminary, consummate gentleman, and a mentor to many. I too considered Sternford to be my mentor. He had a lot of time for young lawyers and was always ready with a word of encouragement or a helping hand. I met him several years ago in Swaziland, now called Eswatini, where I had the great fortune of sitting next to him on the bus from the airport to the conference venue of the SADC Lawyers Association (SADCLA) Conference. He was polite and spoke at length about the history of SADCLA of which he had earlier been a President. I later had the privilege of interacting with him at the International Bar Association conferences. He was later elected as the first African President of the IBA which was a source of honour and pride for him and all those who knew him. Sternford will be missed by all those who knew him. We send his wife Sarah, who was often by his side at legal conferences, his children Batanai, Rufaro, and Makomborero our deepest sympathies. He left us too soon but will forever be remembered for a life well lived.
Linda Kasonde
CLA Vice President Africa
