FIDA Kenya Hosts Landmark Debate for LSK Vice Presidential Candidates

Nairobi, Kenya In a pivotal event ahead of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) council elections, FIDA Kenya convened a vice presidential debate at Daystar University on January 29, 2026, placing a spotlight on the candidates vying for this critical role. The debate moved beyond personality contests to a rigorous, issue-based examination of feminist leadership, professional welfare, and the future of the legal profession.

The three candidates Teresia Wavinya-Nicholas, Elizabeth Wangui Wanjeri, and Debora Anditi articulated their visions under structured moderation, addressing systemic challenges from sexual harassment and cyberbullying to institutional governance and sustainable legal practice.

Opening Ceremonies and Context

The event was presided over by Angela Munga Mwadumbo, FIDA Kenya Board Chair. Christine Kungu, in her opening remarks, emphasized the debate as "a moment of accountability" rather than merely a campaign event. She highlighted FIDA Kenya's 40-year legacy of championing women's rights and noted that the organization's membership consists primarily of female advocates who are also LSK members practicing across all 47 counties. Kungu announced upcoming fundraising initiatives toward acquiring the FIDA Mediation House, including a Royal Golf Club event on March 13, 2026, and a charity walk dubbed "Steps for Justice" on May 23, 2026.

The Stage and The Rules

Sophie Kaibiria, FIDA Kenya Executive Director, outlined strict rules of engagement: two-minute response limits, a ban on campaign materials, muted microphones when not speaking, and disciplined moderation for both physical and virtual audiences. Physical audience members were instructed to maintain strict silence except when applause was requested, while virtual participants were warned against hate speech, spamming, and coordinated behavior.

The debate was steered by seasoned moderators Samuel Akwale, a senior lecturer and advocate with 28 years of experience, and Lucianna Thuo, an election law and governance specialist with over 14 years of experience in electoral dispute resolution. They framed the discussion around three core themes:

1. Women's rights and freedoms within the legal profession

2. The public interest role of the LSK

3. Strengthening the society from within for sustainable practice

Meet the Candidates

Teresia Wavinya-Nicholas

Introducing herself as "Mama Welfare," Wawinya-Nicholas described herself as a leader who gave her best years to the service and improvement of the legal profession. She co-founded the Young Bar Association in 2017 after identifying gaps in addressing young lawyers' issues. A current LSK council member, she emphasized her transformative and visionary leadership style, noting:

Elizabeth Wangui Wanjeri

An advocate of 19 years standing practicing in Mombasa, Wanjiri serves as the current LSK Coast representative. She earned the nickname "Wanjiri wa CPD" for successfully championing the reduction of CPD expenses, especially online CPD costs for young advocates. Her other key achievements include advocating for free certificates of good standing for fully paid-up members and introducing a conflict of interest register for accountability and transparency. Her agenda is anchored on welfare and practice issues, with a focus on expanding practice areas for the legal profession.

Debora Anditi

With 19 years in practice, Anditi brings governance expertise and regulatory and institutional reform experience. She has practiced across all sectors: private practice, government, non-governmental organizations, and serves as a corporation secretary. Her proven track record includes serving on the Young Lawyers Committee, establishing the In-House Lawyers Committee, and serving on the CPD Committee where she pioneered specialized CPDs, which she plans to evolve into a full-fledged Legal Training Institute. She emphasized her diverse practice experience as uniquely positioning her to understand practice matters across all professional spaces.

Theme 1: Feminist Leadership and Protecting Women Advocates

The first segment cut to the heart of professional inequity. Candidates were asked to define feminist leadership in practice and how it would shape their priorities as vice president.

Teresia Wawinya-Nicholas framed it as proactive inclusion, championing female appointments to LSK boards and extending this to branch levels. As a current council member, she has already pushed for inclusivity of female appointments on boards and wants to continue this practice nationwide. She highlighted the underutilized 2019 Sexual Harassment and Anti-Bullying Policy, calling for widespread awareness campaigns, training on reporting, and robust confidentiality mechanisms to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.

Elizabeth Wangui Wanjeri focused on making equality tangible, pointing to persistent career barriers, safety issues, and poor work-life integration. She noted that the legal profession leads in being one of the unsafest places for women and suffers from pay inequality. Her practical solutions included advocating for flexible working hours for nursing mothers and creating family-friendly policies within law firms. Drawing from personal experience, she recalled job interviews where she was asked about marriage and childbearing plans, noting that such stereotypes persist.

Debora Anditi approached the issue from an institutional perspective, acknowledging that while LSK has strong female representation, specific workplace toxins remain: sexual harassment, pay disparity, and punitive maternity leave practices. She was surprised to discover law firms where taking maternity leave amounts to constructive dismissal. Her solution centered on enforceable policies and a self-reporting framework for law firms to create baseline accountability on HR standards. She proposed that law firms report annually on whether they have HR policies, employment contracts, and the number of lawyers employed, creating a regulatory baseline.

Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

On the pressing issue of cyberbullying and online harassment, the candidates proposed distinct interventions.

Wavinya-Nicholas advocated for an independent, multi-generational committee to handle complaints confidentially, separate from the instruction committee. She shared a powerful example of a colleague who was sexually harassed, and when they reported to the DCI, the perpetrator changed the narrative, leading to victimization. She stressed that creating awareness of the existing policy is crucial, as many young lawyers are unaware of its existence. Her proposed independent committee would include all cadres of lawyers (seniors, mid-bar, and young lawyers) to ensure young advocates feel free to report without fear of retaliation.

Wanjiri pointed to her work as co-convener of the Gender Committee, which has conducted sensitization webinars on technologically facilitated gender-based violence throughout their two-year tenure. She proposed a dedicated gender reporting desk to reduce victim-shaming and provide confidentiality, along with psychosocial support for complainants. Additionally, she called for law reform to criminalize such behaviors and hold tech platforms liable for not removing harassing material.

Anditi demanded an "honest conversation" and concrete consequences for members who bully colleagues or judicial officers online. She emphasized that the problem starts at home, with LSK members bullying fellow members and judicial officers on social media platforms. She noted a recent incident where a judicial officer complained that LSK protects advocates but not judges, highlighting the need for institutional fairness.

Theme 2: The Public Mandate Justice, Power, and Governance

The debate then shifted to the LSK's broader societal role. On advancing justice for vulnerable groups, Wawinya-Nicholas prioritized activating the dormant National Legal Aid Fund (NALEP). Wanjiri championed legislative reforms, such as criminalizing the collusion to cover up sexual violence. Anditi stressed stakeholder management, urging better collaboration with the judiciary and police to unblock systemic delays in pro bono services.

A key question was LSK's capacity to "speak truth to power," especially ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle. All candidates affirmed this core mandate. Wawinya-Nicholas pledged relentless vigilance and strategic litigation. Wanjiri emphasized holding other state institutions accountable. Anditi argued that the council's power derives from a unified membership, stating:

Regarding governance and the upcoming strategic plan, their priorities diverged:

Wavinya-Nicholas: Clear separation between Council and Secretariat, transparent fiduciary reporting.

Wanjeri: A more responsive secretariat, a long-term investment policy, and advocacy to expand legal practice areas.

Anditi: A diagnostic approach, starting with a governance audit and a modern call management system to address the chronic failure in member service.

Theme 3: Welfare, Practice, and Internal Reform

The final segment tackled the core welfare mandate. On modernizing Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Wanjiri promoted an on-demand CPD library. Anditi, crediting her earlier work on specialized CPDs, proposed evolving them into a full-fledged Legal Training Institute to generate sustainable non-dues income. Wawinya-Nicholas focused on member consultation on topics and seeking partners to lower costs.

Addressing the marginalization of in-house lawyers, Anditi and Wawinya-Nicholas (a county counsel herself) highlighted struggles with non-practice allowances and career stagnation. Anditi reiterated her call for a dedicated council seat for in-house practitioners, while Wawinya-Nicholas pledged to be a bridge between private practice, in-house counsel, and young lawyers.

The welfare discussion became particularly pointed on medical cover and fair pay. Deborah Anditi revealed that the current cover was unaffordable for most, disclosing that the Advocates Benevolent Association (ABA) was negotiating a tiered scheme starting from KSh 10,000. On advocates' pay, she proposed starting with mandatory self-reporting by law firms on employment contracts to create a regulatory baseline.

Teresia Wawinya-Nicholas, nicknamed "Mama Welfare," championed replicating the successful Nakuru Chapter Welfare Summit a member-funded, small-cell support system across the country. Elizabeth Wangoi Wanjiri linked welfare to financial health, proposing a lobbying department to identify and tap into new, non-traditional practice areas.

The Verdict of Ideas

The FIDA Kenya debate successfully shifted the campaign discourse to substantive issues. Voters were presented with three clear archetypes: a grassroots welfare organizer (Wawinya-Nicholas), a policy and practice reformer (Wanjeri), and a governance and institutional strategist (Anditi).

The moderators concluded by framing the members' choice around three needs:

As the LSK elections approach in March 2026, the debate made it clear that the victor will be tasked not just with a title, but with the urgent work of rebuilding trust and resilience within the legal profession.