This is the Keynote Address that was delivered by Professor PLO Lumumba, during the 15th Anniversary Celebrations of the Kabarak University School of Law. The event took place at the Kabarak University Main Campus in Nakuru, Kenya, on Thursday 28 August, 2025.

I. Introduction

Standing here today, I do not feel as though I am merely at a function. I feel as though I have returned home. Fifteen years ago, in these halls, we planted a seed. It was a seed watered by conviction that this country and this continent deserve lawyers who are not only learned in statutes but guided by conscience. Today, that seed has grown into a flourishing tree whose shade is felt in courts, in classrooms, in boardrooms and in communities near and far.

When I look at you, the alumni gathered from different generations, the students who carry the present flame and the faculty who have laboured to keep the vision alive, I am reminded of a simple truth: a law school is not only measured by its buildings, its libraries, or its syllabi. It is measured by the men and women it forms. And this School, our School, has not failed in that sacred duty.

II. Historical reflection

When the idea of establishing a School of Law at Kabarak University was first tabled, it was not met with universal acclaim. There were those who asked: Why another law school in a country already served by the venerable institutions of Nairobi, Moi, and Kenyatta? There were those who whispered that the soil was too shallow here, that the tree would not take root. Yet history teaches us that every generation must plant its own institutions of learning, for the law is a living organism and it must be nurtured anew in each season if it is to serve the needs of its age.

Our conviction was clear. Kenya did not merely need lawyers in quantity; it needed lawyers in quality. It needed men and women who would understand that the law is not simply a set of rules to be memorised, but the architecture of justice, the scaffolding of order and the guardian of liberty. We desired to form advocates who would walk into the courts not as mercenaries for hire, but as servants of truth. We desired to produce scholars who would interrogate the law not only for what it is, but for what it ought to be. And above all, we desired to produce graduates who would carry within them a moral compass calibrated not by expediency, but by principle.

The ethos of Kabarak University provided fertile ground for this vision. Anchored in faith, guided by conscience and propelled by excellence, we dreamed of a School of Law that would marry knowledge to virtue. We wanted our graduates to remember that the practice of law is not an occupation to be endured, but a vocation to be embraced. That a lawyer, if stripped of integrity, becomes dangerous to society; but a lawyer, when clothed in character, becomes an agent of transformation.

The early days were not without their trials. We began with few books on our shelves, modest lecture rooms and the daunting task of convincing students and parents that here, in the heart of Nakuru County, a new citadel of legal learning was being born. Attracting faculty required persuasion; convincing students demanded faith. Yet what we lacked in resources, we made up for in resolve. We reminded ourselves that great institutions are not built overnight, nor in comfort, but through perseverance, sacrifice and belief in a cause larger than oneself.

As the first classes gathered, as the first moot courts were held, as the first graduates walked into the world, it became evident that the critics had underestimated both the resolve of Kabarak and the power of vision. Slowly, brick upon brick, class after class, reputation upon reputation, the School of Law grew; not just in size, but in stature.

Looking back, I see those early struggles not as obstacles, but as the crucible in which character was forged. And looking around, I see in the lives of our alumni, advocates in practice, scholars in universities, policymakers in government and leaders in communities, the vindication of that conviction. The lesson is simple: when faith is wedded to action, when vision is nourished by courage, then even the smallest seed can grow into a tree whose branches shelter generations.

III. Achievement over the next 15 years

Fifteen years may be regarded as a brief chapter in the long narrative of an institution, but it is long enough to tell a story of growth, resilience and impact. Today, as we pause to look back, the Kabarak University School of Law has every reason to lift its head high and give thanks.

The growth of the School has been multidimensional. In numbers, our student body has steadily expanded, attracting young men and women not only from every corner of Kenya but also from across borders. That is the surest testament to quality: when an institution becomes a magnet for those who seek excellence, word travels further than any advertisement. In academic stature, the School has consolidated its place within Kenya's legal fraternity. Our faculty members are not only teachers but also thinkers, publishing, contributing to policy debates and shaping the wider intellectual discourse. In its physical plant, the School has grown from humble beginnings into a community marked by libraries, lecture halls and moot courts that are worthy of the name "School of Law."

But let us be clear: the real measure of any law school is not in its buildings, nor in the size of its library, nor even in the eloquence of its lecturers. Its measure is in the calibre of men and women it sends into the world. And in this respect, Kabarak University School of Law has proven itself.

Our alumni are now firmly planted in the fields of practice, academia, civil society, corporate life and public service. They are advocates in courts, arguing fearlessly for justice. They are scholars in classrooms, passing the torch to the next generation. They are leaders in institutions, shaping law and policy. They are voices in civil society, defending rights and holding power to account. They are professionals in business and government, bringing integrity and rigour into spaces where law and governance converge. In every sphere where law touches life, the presence of a Kabarak-trained lawyer can be felt.

This School has also earned a reputation for producing graduates who are not merely technically competent but morally grounded. That was the founding philosophy and it has endured. The Kabarak lawyer is known not only for learning but for conscience; not only for argument but for principle; not only for ambition but for service. And that identity, in an age where the legal profession is often accused of moral drift, is no small achievement.

We also take pride in the School's performance on competitive stages. Our mooting teams have excelled in national and international competitions, carrying the Kabarak name into arenas where skill, wit and intellect are tested. Their victories confirm that the training here produces not only students who can pass examinations, but advocates who can stand before tribunals and articulate justice with clarity and courage.

It is true that in these fifteen years, no alumnus has yet ascended to the Bench. But institutions are not judged by a single marker. They are judged by their trajectory. And in this case, the trajectory is unmistakable. Given the calibre of graduates already in practice and the seriousness of their preparation, it is only a matter of time before the judiciary will count among its members men and women formed in these halls. The absence of judges today is not a deficiency; it is a deferred inevitability.

This anniversary is therefore not a hollow ritual. It is a testimony. It testifies that what was once a fragile seed is today a strong tree. It testifies that what was once only a vision is now a reality that impacts society. It testifies that Kabarak University School of Law has not merely added to the number of law schools in Kenya, but has contributed substantively to the quality of legal education and the strength of the profession. And as we gather here, we recognise that the story of the first fifteen years is only the prologue. The real narrative lies ahead, waiting to be written by the students seated here today and the alumni who continue to carry the Kabarak spirit into the world.

IV. The role of alumni

No law school can speak of its success without speaking of its alumni. Alumni are the living curriculum, the walking reputation, the breathing legacy of any institution. When they leave the gates of their alma mater, they cease to be private individuals alone; they become ambassadors who carry the name, the values and the spirit of the School wherever they go.

The alumni of Kabarak University School of Law embody this truth. They have entered courtrooms as advocates, appearing before judges and magistrates with the skill and diligence that mark their training. They have entered classrooms as lecturers, transmitting knowledge with the same dedication they once received. They have entered civil society, challenging injustice, defending rights and amplifying the voices of the voiceless. They have entered corporate offices and government institutions, proving that the Kabarak lawyer is versatile, adaptable and reliable.

But beyond their personal successes, alumni bear a collective responsibility. They are custodians of the School's reputation. Each argument they make in court, each lecture they deliver, each policy they shape, each case they take up, reflects back on this institution. It is said that one careless alumnus can undo in a moment what generations of faithful scholars have built, but it is also true that one excellent alumnus can elevate an institution to heights unimagined. That is the power alumni carry.

The role of alumni is also generational. They must serve as bridges between past and future, linking the experiences of yesterday with the possibilities of tomorrow. They are called to mentor the current students, to offer internships, guidance and opportunities, for knowledge is best honoured when it is passed on. They are called to support the institution materially and morally, ensuring that those who come after them find the path smoother and the vision brighter. They are called to maintain networks of solidarity, for the law is not practiced in isolation, but flourishes through community.

It is not enough that alumni should simply succeed individually. Their calling is higher: to form a constellation whose collective light illuminates the profession and society at large. Let it be said of the Kabarak alumni that they are not only competent but principled, not only successful but service-minded, not only ambitious but anchored in faith. For then and only then, will the School of Law be vindicated in its founding promise: that it would produce lawyers not merely trained in mind but also formed in character.

This anniversary is therefore as much an alumni homecoming as it is an institutional celebration. For it is the alumni who prove whether the vision conceived fifteen years ago was true or false. And in the lives they live, in the battles they fight, in the justice they defend, in the integrity they uphold, they proclaim to the world that the seed planted here was indeed good.

V. Looking forward - The next fifteen years

Anniversaries must not only be occasions of remembrance; they must be platforms of vision. If the first fifteen years were about planting and nurturing, then the next fifteen must be about expanding, innovating and leading. The test of this School will not be what it has been, but what it dares to become.

The world into which our graduates step is changing faster than ever before. Technology is no longer a tool; it is a jurisdiction of its own. Artificial intelligence now drafts contracts, predicts judgments and even mediates disputes, raising profound questions of liability, bias and accountability. Data has become the new oil and with it comes the imperative of data protection, cybersecurity and digital rights law. Cryptocurrencies, blockchain and smart contracts are no longer abstract theories; they are reshaping finance and commerce, demanding new lawyers who can navigate the shifting terrain of digital assets and financial regulation.

At the same time, the climate crisis is redrawing the map of law. Rising seas, failing rains and vanishing forests are no longer the subject of environmental activism alone; they are the subject of climate justice litigation, carbon markets and environmental governance frameworks. The next generation of lawyers must understand that sustainability is not a slogan but a legal imperative.

Africa itself is entering a new legal epoch. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has created the world's largest single market by membership, demanding expertise in international trade law, competition policy, digital commerce and regional dispute settlement. The sovereignty debates over natural resources; oil, gas and minerals, are creating fresh battlegrounds in investment arbitration and resource nationalism. And in the political sphere, questions of democracy, elections and constitutional design remain alive and urgent, calling for lawyers of vision and courage.

Beyond earth, new frontiers beckon. Space law is no longer science fiction; it is the emerging reality as satellites crisscross African skies and states explore outer space opportunities. Biotechnology and health law are becoming unavoidable as genetics, cloning and pandemics reshape the meaning of human dignity and global justice. Even the seas, with deep-sea mining and maritime disputes, are opening new arenas of legal regulation.

But amid this dizzying expansion of fields, we must never forget what makes Kabarak distinctive. Many institutions can train lawyers to handle cases; but Kabarak must form lawyers who can shape civilization. The temptation in the coming years will be to run after every novelty. Our task must be to engage the new while anchored in the eternal; to ensure that every Kabarak lawyer, whether working in digital law, climate law, trade law, or human rights, is guided by conscience, faith and service. For law without morality is mere mechanics; but law infused with integrity is the foundation of just societies.

Fifteen years from today, may it be said that Kabarak University School of Law anticipated the future and prepared for it. That here were trained the first generation of African lawyers who mastered artificial intelligence without surrendering to it, who defended the environment as guardians of creation, who navigated trade and investment without betraying sovereignty, who expanded the reach of rights into digital spaces, who stood at the bar of justice not only with knowledge in their minds but with conviction in their hearts.

The next fifteen years are not merely an opportunity; they are a summons. And Kabarak must answer that summons with courage, clarity and conviction.

VI. Moral and spiritual foundation

Every institution has a soul. It is that intangible essence that outlives its founders, shapes its culture and defines its destiny. For some, the soul is prestige. For others, it is wealth or pedigree. For Kabarak University and by extension the School of Law, the soul has always been moral clarity, spiritual conviction and service to humanity under the Lordship of Christ.

When this School was conceived, it was not envisioned as merely another academic factory, producing graduates to fill the ranks of law firms and government offices. It was conceived as a sanctuary of moral formation, a crucible where intellect and integrity would be fused. From the very beginning, the University's moral code proclaimed that "in one's heart, Christ is Lord." This was not meant to be a decorative motto to adorn certificates. It was a summons to all who pass through these gates: that to know the law without knowing justice is to be dangerous and that to master statutes while ignoring morality is to miss the essence of law itself.

This emphasis is not unique to our age. Across history, civilizations that flourished were those whose legal systems were not only technically sound but also morally anchored. Rome, in its prime, was sustained not merely by legions but by a sense of civic virtue. The common law tradition, which so deeply influences our own, thrived because it married precedent with principles of fairness and conscience. The African traditions of justice, long before colonial codes were imposed, understood that disputes were not just to be resolved but communities reconciled, because law without morality tears apart what it ought to bind.

Yet, in our time, the profession of law often faces accusations of moral bankruptcy. The lawyer is caricatured as a manipulator of technicalities, a mercenary for hire, a dealer in loopholes. Corruption, cynicism and the naked pursuit of wealth have tarnished the public perception of our noble calling. This is the context in which Kabarak University School of Law must remain distinct. We must be a counter-witness. We must raise a banner that says: here, integrity is not an elective, it is compulsory; here, conscience is not negotiable, it is binding; here, the pursuit of justice is not a slogan, it is a vocation.

This moral and spiritual foundation is not an added feature; it is our unique contribution to the legal profession in Kenya and Africa. Many institutions can produce competent lawyers, but Kabarak must produce lawyers who are both competent and conscientious. Lawyers who know that their duty is not simply to clients but to justice; not merely to employers but to society; not only to statutes but to God who is the ultimate Lawgiver.

As we look to the next fifteen years, let this remain our compass. Let every lecture, every moot, every seminar remind students that they are being shaped not only as advocates of the law but as stewards of justice. Let our alumni remember that they bear a double identity, as legal practitioners and as moral trustees of this School's legacy. And let society see in every Kabarak-trained lawyer a beacon of integrity, a voice of conscience and a defender of dignity.

If the edifice we have built is to endure, it will not be because of the size of our buildings or the sophistication of our technologies. It will be because we remained true to our moral and spiritual foundation. That is our bedrock. That is our distinction. And that is the inheritance we must guard jealously, lest the shifting sands of expediency erode the noble character that has been our pride.

VII. Charge to students and alumni

To the students who now sit in these lecture halls, I say this: you are the present custodians of the Kabarak vision. The years you spend here are sacred years, years in which you are being fashioned not only into professionals but into leaders. Take them seriously. Read voraciously, write diligently and argue fearlessly. Do not allow your intellect to be confined to the four corners of your textbooks. Immerse yourself in the debates of our time, constitutionalism, human rights, technology, governance, climate justice. For the lawyer of the future is not one who knows the law alone, but one who understands the world in which the law must operate.

Yet, remember also that brilliance without character is dangerous. It is better to be a modest lawyer of integrity than a brilliant advocate who corrupts justice. You will be tempted by shortcuts, lured by opportunities for easy gain, seduced by the glitter of power. Resist them. Let the moral foundation of Kabarak guide you. Let integrity be your shield and let service be your compass. Prepare not only to earn a living, but to live a life that earns respect.

And to the alumni, you who once sat where these students now sit, you are the living proof of the School's promise. You are its ambassadors, its reputation, its pride. When you rise to speak in court, Kabarak rises with you. When you publish in journals, Kabarak speaks through you. When you lead in institutions, Kabarak leads with you. Your personal victories are institutional victories; your failures are institutional wounds. Carry this responsibility with sobriety.

But beyond your personal careers, you bear a collective duty. You must be mentors to those who follow after you. A student's greatest encouragement is not in reading stories of foreign legal giants, but in meeting alumni who sat in the same classes, walked the same corridors and yet now shape the world. Reach back. Open doors. Offer internships. Give counsel. Inspire confidence. In so doing, you will keep alive the chain of excellence that binds past, present and future.

Support this institution too, not only with words of praise but with tangible contributions. No law school thrives on sentiment alone. It thrives when its alumni remember that their alma mater gave them more than a degree; it gave them a foundation. Return the favour in whatever measure you can, through mentorship, through financial support, through advocacy, through representation in national and international spaces.

Let there be among Kabarak alumni a fraternity of solidarity, a community bound not by nostalgia but by shared values. Let it be said that whenever integrity is needed in the profession, a Kabarak graduate is never far away. Let it be known that when society looks for lawyers who combine skill with conscience, ambition with humility and power with service, it finds them in the ranks of Kabarak alumni.

So my charge is simple yet profound: students, study not only for yourselves, but for the generations you will serve. Alumni, succeed not only for your own glory, but for the honour of this School and the strengthening of the profession. Together, stand as proof that the vision of fifteen years ago was no fleeting dream but a living reality.

VIII. Conclusion

As we stand on this sacred occasion, marking fifteen years of the Kabarak University School of Law, my heart is filled with gratitude. Gratitude to the founders of this University who dared to dream. Gratitude to the faculty, past and present, who have laboured with patience and vision. Gratitude to the alumni who have carried the name of Kabarak into the world with pride. Gratitude to the students, who are the present custodians of this legacy and the future authors of its destiny. And above all, gratitude to Almighty God, without whom none of this would have been possible.

We have looked back and celebrated the journey from modest beginnings to undeniable achievements. We have looked around and seen the fruits borne by our alumni and the promise shining in our students. We have looked forward and envisioned the future — a future where Kabarak University School of Law will stand not only as a Kenyan institution but as a continental beacon of legal education, moral clarity and intellectual leadership.

But let us not mistake this anniversary for a resting place. It is not the end of a chapter, but the beginning of another. The law is dynamic, society is changing and history demands that we remain vigilant, visionary and virtuous. The next fifteen years will test us in ways we cannot fully predict, but if we remain anchored in our moral and spiritual foundation, nothing can shake us.

To the students: let your years here be your preparation for greatness. To the alumni: let your careers be your testimony to the world of the values you received here. To the faculty and leadership: let your stewardship continue to keep this institution on the path of integrity and excellence. Together, let us ensure that when future generations gather for the thirtieth anniversary, they will say of us: They dreamed greatly, they laboured faithfully and they built enduringly.

May Kabarak University School of Law continue to release into the world men and women of character, courage and conviction. May it continue to shine as a city on a hill, a lamp that cannot be hidden, a beacon for Kenya, Africa, and the world.

In these days of moral relativism, when many professionals worship at the altar of money —the latter-day Mammon— let Kabarak University School of Law stand out as the fountain that incubates and hatches lawyers famed not for wealth, but for rectitude, courage and fidelity to justice.