New LSK boss recounts his family's traumatic 2007 post-election experience
By Moses Ngahu
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president-elect Eric Theuri is a man who chooses his words carefully. The 43-year-old is a composed individual who portrays a strong character and does not let his emotions get the best of him.
Theuri is one of the many Kenyans who were victims of the 2007 post election violence after his family's house and other rental houses were set ablaze because they were people from Central province living in the Western parts of the country.
“I know how long a night can be. When you are awake fearing for your life can be scary especially when facing attacks and with no information when another attack might happen," he recounted.
[caption id="attachment_13627" align="alignnone" width="960"]
File image of new LSK President Eric Theuri. |Courtesy| The Nation|[/caption]
The 2007 General election came two years after Theuri was admitted to the bar. He was based in Nairobi but at the time of election violence, he had travelled to Kakamega where his family had lived for years. He says that the decision to visit his folks during the elections almost would have left him with permanent damage or even loss of life.
He describes his childhood as a bright child full of mischievous. He admits that he struggled with mathematics and loathed home science which was by then considered as a lady's subject. He recalls the many times he would sneak out of class to set up traps in the bushes. He was well known for trapping quails, shooting birds down with catapult and hunting with dogs. He says that Kakamega forest was his hunting ground.
“I associate freely with both the rich and poor,” Theuri says.
He was brought up in a stable household as his parents did not struggle financially. Up to today, he still remembers the life and death scenarios of the post election violence which he says reminds him of how things can change from good to worst.
The lawyer admits that he feels sorry when he hears politicians talk and campaign using the ethnicity card. He says that most people fails to see how dangerous trending on such water can be.
Having won the March 10th LSK elections, Theuri will be taking over as the LSK president on Friday, March 25. His vision of the body, which has 12,544 registered members, is to take a firm stand against corruption in the Judiciary and the executive.
He strongly believes that if LSK can be a politically neutral, it makes it hard for the government and other parties to divide it.
File image of new LSK President Eric Theuri. |Courtesy| The Nation|[/caption]
The 2007 General election came two years after Theuri was admitted to the bar. He was based in Nairobi but at the time of election violence, he had travelled to Kakamega where his family had lived for years. He says that the decision to visit his folks during the elections almost would have left him with permanent damage or even loss of life.
He describes his childhood as a bright child full of mischievous. He admits that he struggled with mathematics and loathed home science which was by then considered as a lady's subject. He recalls the many times he would sneak out of class to set up traps in the bushes. He was well known for trapping quails, shooting birds down with catapult and hunting with dogs. He says that Kakamega forest was his hunting ground.
“I associate freely with both the rich and poor,” Theuri says.
He was brought up in a stable household as his parents did not struggle financially. Up to today, he still remembers the life and death scenarios of the post election violence which he says reminds him of how things can change from good to worst.
The lawyer admits that he feels sorry when he hears politicians talk and campaign using the ethnicity card. He says that most people fails to see how dangerous trending on such water can be.
Having won the March 10th LSK elections, Theuri will be taking over as the LSK president on Friday, March 25. His vision of the body, which has 12,544 registered members, is to take a firm stand against corruption in the Judiciary and the executive.
He strongly believes that if LSK can be a politically neutral, it makes it hard for the government and other parties to divide it. What's Your Reaction?
