Paper presentations at academic conferences
May 2023 – Kabarak University Press-Jindal Global Law School-African Society for International Law (AfSIL) webinar on ‘The 2023 Climate Change Advisory Opinions (ITLOS; IACtHR; ICJ): Opportunities for the Global South’, with Prof. Phoebe Okowa, Prof. Makane Mbengue, Amb. Prof. Gudmundur Eiriksson and Patricia Tarre.
Paper presented: 2023 climate change advisory opinions: An opportunity to reverse a history of Global South non-participation
June 2022 – Kabarak University Annual Law Conference, Validation Workshop for Research constructed in 5 counties in Kenya: Paper presented – ‘Illegitimate contradictions: The origins of exclusion and marginalisation in Kenya”
Jun 2022 – Kabarak University, Institute of Postgraduate Studies, Research Seminar for Post Graduate Students: “The role of the university press in promoting African scholarship: The case of Kabarak University Press” 2 June 2022
Mar 2022 – Afronomicslaw Academic Forum Guest Lecture Series: “The Sovereign Alien: History, TWAIL, and International Economic Law” Lecture by Prof Anthony Anghie at 19 March 2022
Served as discussant: “Asserting pride in Global South episteme through critiquing the silences of the Eurocentric narrative” later published on Afronomicslaw.org Blog
Oct 2020 – Konrad Adenauer Stiftung International Criminal Justice Group of Experts Annual Meeting, 14-16 October 2020
Paper presentation: “Fragmentation of international law and the ACJHPR’s concurrent jurisdiction with the ICC and ICJ”
Dec 2018 – Keba Mbaye Conference on African Approaches to International (Human Rights) Law, 5-6 December 2018, hosted by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria.
Served as Conference co-Chair
Paper presented: “Not too many faces, one mask: A Keba Mbaye biographic”, later published as “Towards an African professional history of international law: The life and work of Keba Mbaye” in F Viljoen, H Sipalla, F Adegalu (eds) African approaches to international law: Exploratory perspectives, Pretoria University Law Press
Jul 2017 – Conference on “Understanding the Malabo Protocol: Potentials, pitfalls and way forward for international criminal justice in Africa – Eastern Africa Civil Society Consultation’, hosted by ICJ-Kenya, Amnesty International, Strathmore Law School, 16-19 July 2017
Paper presented: book chapter “State defiance, treaty withdrawals and the resurgence of African sovereign equality claims: Historicising the 2016 AU ICC collective withdrawal strategy”
May 2017 – Roundtable on African Approaches to International Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Paper presented: “Using history and biography as a method for African Approaches to International Law”
Sep 2016 – Konrad Adenauer Stiftung International Criminal Justice Group of Experts Annual Meeting, 14-17 September 2016
Paper presented: “Treaty withdrawals and the 2016 AU ICC withdrawal strategy”, later published as “State defiance, treaty withdrawals and the resurgence of African sovereign equality claims: Historicising the 2016 AU ICC collective withdrawal strategy” in HJ van der Merwe, G Kemp (eds) International criminal justice in Africa, KAS/Strathmore University Press
Oct 2014 – International Conference on Peace and International Relations Theme: Transitional Justice in Post-conflict Societies in Africa, hosted by Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR), 8-9 October 2014
Paper presented: “The irreconcilability of international law and politics: TWAIL and transitional justice in Africa”, later published in J Stormes et al, (eds) Transitional justice in post-conflict societies in Africa [Paulines Publications Africa, Nairobi, 2016]Jun 2011 – Conference on Multi and Inter-Disciplinary Human Rights hosted by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Paper presented: “Policed perceptions, masked realities: Using popular art to uncover and monitor human rights violations by the police in Kenya” H Sipalla, K Lewela, later published in F Viljoen (ed) Beyond the law: Multi-disciplinary perspectives on human rights [Pretoria University Law Press, Pretoria, 2012]
Conferences attended (Academic)
Mar 2022 – Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth Symposium: Theme: Decolonisation and cultural heritage in Africa, 16-18 March 2022, organised by British Council and Twaweza Communications, at Nairobi National Museum and virtually on Zoom
Jan 2022 – Symposium on the role of creative arts in social transformation: Interdisciplinary perspectives, 27 January 2022, at Kabarak University School of Music and Performing Arts. Guest panellists were Prof Justice Willy Mutunga and Godfrey “Gado” Mwapembwa
Served as conference organiser
Dec 2021 – Egerton University Faculty of Law Legal Aid Project, Second National Legal Aid Conference on Access to Justice, 28 Nov-4 Dec 2021, Naivasha, Kenya
Represented Kabarak University Press
Jul 2021 – Conference: 40 years of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, hosted by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Served as session moderator
Aug 2018 – Advanced human rights course on Right to development in Africa, 20-24 August 2018, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Jul 2017 – 2020 Review of the UN Treaty Body System, Academic Platform Regional Consultation, Nairobi, 20-21 July 2017, at Strathmore Business School. Presented on “ICTs and effective documentation of the African Human Rights System: Best practices for UN TBs”
Nov 2016 – Fifth Annual African Union High-Level Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance in Africa: Trends, Challenges and Prospects Theme: Reflecting, Celebrating and Advancing Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa Arusha, 23-26 November 2016, hosted by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Paper presented: Communication strategy of the draft African Union Action Plan for Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa on implementation of the AU Human Rights Decade (2017-2026)
Nov 2016 – CSO Consultation on the African Human Rights Plan 2017-2026, 21-22 November, Arusha;
Paper presented: Communication strategy of the draft African Union Action Plan for Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa on implementation of the AU Human Rights Decade (2017-2026)
Oct 2016 – Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) 7th Annual Conference, Strathmore University, 12-15 October 2016,
Paper presented: “The impact of new technologies on the legal profession”, with Eugene Nyawara (HURIDOCS)
Sep 2016 – Philanthropy and Africa’s development Conference, under the theme “Looking back, looking ahead: African philanthropy for political economic and social justice in the 21st Century”, and launch of Claiming agency; hosted by TrustAfrica, Addis Ababa, 29 September 2016.
Paper presented: book chapter in Claiming agency, “African agency in contested contexts”
Jan 2016 – 6th Continental Citizens’ Conference, Addis Ababa, 21-23 January 2016.
Paper presented: “ICTs and the enforcement of African human rights norms and decisions: Challenges and prospects”
Conferences attended (Professional)
May 2023 – Faith and environment Bi-monthly webinar on the theme:
Mar 2023 – Faith and environment Bi-monthly webinar on the theme: ‘The hermeneutics of environmental protection: An interreligious dialogue’ on 30 March 2023 on Zoom
Jan 2023 – Faith and Environment Bi-monthly webinar on the theme: ‘The role of students in faith-based environmental protection’ on 26 January 2023 on Zoom
Jul 2022 – Virtual roundtable discussion on Faith and environment protection: An interreligious and interdisciplinary dialogue on the law and praxis of faith based environmental protection in Africa, Thursday 21 July 2022
Jun 2022 – First Global Meeting of National Focal Points for the Montevideo Programme V, 6 to 9 June 2022
Mar 2022 – Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth Symposium: Theme: Decolonisation and cultural heritage in Africa, 16-18 March 2022, organised by British Council and Twaweza Communications, at Nairobi National Museum and virtually on Zoom
Mar 2022 – Faith for Earth Dialogue Series at UNEA 5.2 21 February to 4 March 2022 – attended as Kabarak University Press representative
Apr 2019 – Technical Drafting Meeting on the Ten-Year Action Plan on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 24-25 April 2019
Nov 2018 – Strategic Planning meeting for Oxfam Rights in Crisis (RiC) programme to prepare basic documents for 2020-2030 planning cycle.
Served as external consultant
May 2018 – Annual ICC-Civil Society Roundtables, organised by the Coalition for an Effective African Court, 14 -18 May 2018, The Hague, The Netherlands
Nov 2017 – 56th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Banjul
Oct 2017 – NGO Forum for the 56th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Banjul, presented on ICTs and effective human rights documentation
Aug 2017 – Consultative Meeting to update the Media Relations and Communication Strategy of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 31st August 2017, Arusha, Tanzania
Aug 2017 – African Union African Governance Architecture – Regional Youth Consultations, Arusha. Presented on draft African Union Action Plan for Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa on implementation of the AU Human Rights Decade (2017-2026)
Jul 2017 – Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) PALU 8th Annual Conference and 5th General Assembly, Durban, 5-8 July 2017. Presented on the draft African Union Action Plan for Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa on implementation of the AU Human Rights Decade (2017-2026)
Other Relevant Experience
Ordinary sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights – Nov 2017, Oct 2011, Apr 2011, Nov 2010, May 2010, Nov 2009, May 2009, all held in Banjul; Nov 2008, Abuja.
Oct 2011 – Regional Consultations for West and Central Africa for the Draft Model Law on Access to Information in Africa and the Africa Democracy Charter in Dakar, hosted by African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Centre for Human Rights, UP, OSIWA & Institute for Democracy in Africa (IDASA)
Apr 2010 – African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Regional Conference on the Death Penalty for North and West Africa for state parties and civil society, Rapporteur for the Anglophone participants
