A senior parliamentary staff from Kenya has been elected to lead a global group of legal drafters.
Johnson Okello, the Director of Legal Services in the country’s senate, was elected the President of the Multi-National Association of Legislative Counsel (CALC) during its general meeting in Jamaica.
He becomes the first African jurist to hold the position in the body’s 40-year history.
The election of Okello is a major achievement for the parliament of Kenya, the legal fraternity in the country and Africa at large.
An expert in legislative drafting, Okello was elected by peers from member countries of the global body in an online voting exercise in April 2024.
He takes over from Andy Beattie who comes from Scotland and will head the body for the next two years.
Okello was admitted to the bar in 1998.
He holds a PhD in law and has more than two decades of experience in legal practice.
“I thank you all most sincerely for the trust and the faith you have shown by allowing me to spearhead the association,” Okello said when he took over from Beattie during the ceremony held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which ended on Thursday, May 15, 2024.
He also thanked the membership for believing in him and bestowing him the association’s leadership at its pivotal point of reaching 40 years since it was founded.
Okello further commended members for their dedication, commitment and hard work in ensuring the association remains alive to achieve its mandate.
Before his election, Okello had served as a council member of the body, representing the African region for three terms.
He promised to reinvigorate the regional branches and ensure that the ideals of CALC are felt by the wider membership. He also encouraged Members to continue sharing knowledge by contributing to the legal journals and publications as one of the ways of sharing knowledge.
“We must grow, I will propel the growth and development of the association through creating professional regional offices that can transact business for the association at close reach,” Okello added.
“When professionals meet at close range, it creates room for the growth and development of the association as emerging issues are dealt with on a real-time basis,” he emphasized.
The outgoing president, Andy Beattie congratulated Okello saying it was an honour to nominate him for the position. He assured members that, with Okello, CALC was in safe hands.
“I take this opportunity to thank you members for your support during my reign. I am delighted to welcome my colleague in leadership and assure you that with him, the association is secure,” Beattie said.
He implored members to give adequate support to the new president to ensure the smooth running of the association.
CALC is an association engaged in legislative drafting and other related legal work involving law-making process.
The body was established in 1983 in Hong Kong alongside Commonwealth Law Conference.
It is a fully accredited organisation of the Commonwealth.
Dr. Okello is a ranking Member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and East Africa Law Society.
He is currently serving as Secretary General of Africa Colloquium for Legal Counsels Serving in Parliaments.
He has a versed experience in the field of Law having worked in private practice, served in the Government.
He started off as a State counsel before moving into private practice. During his career, he has taught at the Kenya School of Law and served as Legal Sector Reform Specialist under World Bank/ GOK Legal and Financial Sector Reform project.
Besides he has also drafted many legislation in Kenya and represented Kenya at the East Africa Community Harmonisation of Laws in EAC where he drafted many of the protocols that are implementing the EAC Treaty.
