NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – Mount Kenya University (MKU) has entered into a strategic tripartite agreement to advance Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in East Africa, positioning itself as a leader in innovative legal education.
The university signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Centre for International and Development Law (CIDLAW), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Kenya (CIArb), and the ILI – South African Centre for Excellence (ILI-SACE) during a ceremony held at its Thika main campus.
The collaboration aims to foster a dynamic framework for investment arbitration, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance, and broader ADR training, as more Kenyans embrace non-litigious methods of dispute resolution for their affordability, efficiency, and confidentiality.
Under the agreement, MKU, through CIDLAW, will provide academic infrastructure and access to its extensive student body. CIArb will contribute its internationally recognized arbitration expertise and global networks, while ILI-SACE will bring world-class standards in arbitration and ESG compliance training.
Key initiatives under the new agreement will include a joint arbitration training and certification, with CIArb offering discounted entry-level courses and ILI-SACE delivering advanced modules and organization of high-profile public lectures and discussions on emerging legal themes such as investment arbitration.
It will also facilitate collaborative research on critical areas including ESG compliance, mediation in public-private partnerships, and the role of arbitration in Kenya’s trade ecosystem. These will lead to scholarly publications and policy briefs.
Further, the it will also see the enrichment of MKU’s law curriculum through guest lectures, masterclasses, and mentorship programs, development of CPD-accredited (Continuing Professional Development) programs for legal and corporate professionals across East and Southern Africa and hosting of moot court competitions, ADR conferences, and legal roundtables.
Students under the program will also enjoy enhanced exposure to regional ADR events, including CIArb’s annual ADR Week.
Stakeholders in the agreement will also donate legal learning resources and possible development of shared digital platforms to improve knowledge access.
Swithin Munyantwali, Vice Chairman of ILI-SACE, commended the initiative, noted that it will equip East Africa’s legal and professional community with globally relevant tools in dispute resolution.
Renowned legal scholar Prof. Githu Muigai, who served as keynote speaker, underscored the importance of intra-African trade and dispute resolution mechanisms.
His sentiments were echoed by Njeri Wachira, Deputy Solicitor General in the International Law Division, and Jacqueline Waihenya, Chairperson of CIArb-Kenya, who both called on law students and professionals to seize the growing opportunities within ADR.
The partnership marks a significant milestone for MKU and its partners, promising to reshape the legal landscape in East Africa by empowering the next generation of legal practitioners with cutting-edge skills in arbitration and sustainable governance.
