But in his memoir, he explains the public perception may not have been commensurate with his endeavors of promoting women issues/FRANCIS MBATHA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27 – Former Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga is set to release two books ahead of the next General Election.
One of the books will be a memoir with the tentative title of ‘In Search of My Humanity; Inspiring Encounters’.
The memoir which is currently with the editor, gives an account of the people who mentored him and walked with him during his journey as the Chief Justice.
“I am talking about people who have inspired me; people who have encouraged me and that word in search of humanity for me comes out of the experience of the Judiciary as well.”
Dr Mutunga is one known to fight for women’s rights and a staunch advocate for their equality.
But in his memoir, he explains the public perception may not have been commensurate with his endeavours of promoting women issues.
“There’s a chapter on women – there’s a critic of my life. People will see me as somebody who supported and funded women’s rights and I have written articles on feminism and masculinity but that is the public face,” he explained.
“The private is what I describe because I don’t want to look like a hypocrite. Because people show a public face there. But they can be very cruel people out there and I thought that was my most difficult chapter to write because you have to tell the truth, you cannot steal the truth.”
The memoir also has a chapter called Nyerere and other comrades which eulogises Dr Julius Nyerere, one of Africa’s leading independence heroes who supported African liberation movements and spearheaded development in Tanganyika in what was known as Ujamaa.
The second book, ‘Transformation from the Margins’, the former CJ is recognising and appreciating heroes who actively participated in the transformation of the Judiciary.
It has about five authors.
“In fact some of my writings will be glorifying other people. Nobody knows who they were, even in the little courts, there are people who participated from the grassroots. Judicial transformation was about public participation.”
The book contains his speeches, his scholarly articles and judgments including an excerpt about the 2013 election petition challenging election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Through his experience and books, Dr Mutunga intends to share his model of judicial transformation with African states with conviction that they can pick lessons that can aid their judicial systems to enhance their efficiency.
“I have decided the message should stay in Africa. I will speak to Uganda, Tanzania Burundi, South Sudan because I don’t see why the region will not be interested. I am looking forward to the Tanzanian constitution making process, I would like to participate – I love the country, that’s where I studied and that’s where I grew and developed my intellectual ideological and political positions,” he explained it was the reason why Tanzania was an important chapter in his book.
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