Hon. Justice Joseph Oguttu Mboya - Navigating The Legal Landscape. A Comprehensive Guide To Civil Litigation Practice in Kenya
Hon. Justice Joseph Oguttu Mboya - Navigating The Legal Landscape. A Comprehensive Guide To Civil Litigation Practice in Kenya
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NAVIGATING THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CIVIL
LITIGATION PRACTICE IN KENYA
1. Before venturing to address the guides to civil litigation and practice in Kenya, it
is imperative to first and foremost discern and/or decipher the meaning, import
and tenor of what constitutes civil litigation.
2. In short, it is appropriate to provide and supply the meaning of the term civil
litigation. Instructively, civil litigation has variously been described but according
to google civil litigation means;1
“Civil litigation is a term that applies to any legal dispute where two or
more parties are seeking monetary damages or a specific performance
and does not include criminal accusations. Some cases go to trial in which
a judge will determine the outcome, but not all will.”
3. Other than the meaning and import of what constitutes civil litigation, it is also
worthy to state that civil litigation comprises of several stages, which must be
complied with and/or adhered to at all times.
4. Invariably, the stages that underpin civil litigation are comprised of the
following:
5. Having taken cognizance of the meaning and tenor of civil litigation, it is now
appropriate to descend and to discuss the legal system that applies in Kenya and
what the legal system in question thus entails.
1 Bryant & Stratton College, “What is Civil Litigation? - Defined from a Paralegal Point of View.” Available
at:
https://www.bryantstratton.edu/blog/2017/august/what-is-civil-
litgation#:~:text=Civil%20litigation%20is%20a%20term,outcome%2C%20but%20not%20all%20
will.
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7. In this regard, I shall therefore endeavor to supply and avail the definition as
pertains to what constitutes a legal system as hereunder:2
8. Invariably, there are several types of legal system obtaining across the globe and
legal systems are inter-alia;
i. common law;
ii. civil law;
iii. religious law; and
iv. customary law.
Many countries employ more than one of these systems at the same time
to create a hybrid system.
9. As pertains to Kenya, it is instructive to note and underscore that the legal system
applicable is the common law system, whose salient features include the
understanding that:
10. From the foregoing, it is worthy to note and underscore that an adversarial
system like the ones that applies in Kenya entails a contest between two or more
adversaries on opposite sides of the divide, where one, usually referred to as the
Claimant, Plaintiff, Applicant and/or Petitioner affirms a factual or legal position,
which is then contested by the adverse party usually the Respondent, Defendant
or such other terminology acceptable within the legal jurisprudence.
11. Pertinently, given that the Kenya system is adversarial in nature, it therefore
behooves the advocates for the parties and more particularly for the Claimant,
who are often the originators of the civil process to understand their clients cases
(the factual situation as well as the law attendant thereto).
2 Legal Information Institute, “Legal Systems.” Cornell Law School. Available at:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/legal_systems#:~:text=A%20legal%20system%20is%20the,uses%
20its%20own%20legal%20system.
3 Ana Muniesa, “Common Law and Continental Law: Two Legal Systems.”
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12. Critically, it is the proper understanding of the clients case that would then
enable the concerned advocates to discern inter-alia the appropriate court seized
with jurisdiction, the nature of pleading if any to be crafted, the relevant
documents/statement to be drafted and where appropriate the appropriate
court registry for filing of the civil process for and on behalf of the client.
13. Nevertheless, the understanding of the legal system is critical and paramount
insofar as being adversarial in nature, the advocate for the party, on behalf of
the party is called upon to frame the pleadings in such a manner that would
espouse the totality and/or entirety of the client’s case, without leaving out the
crucial facts that would be cardinal in underpinning the cause of action.
14. Two things become important and are worthy of a short mention and discussion.
First and Importantly, it is incumbent upon the advocate to ensure that the
pleadings being generated in an adversarial system discloses a cause of action
known to law.
15. In terms of what constitutes a cause of action, two cases suffice and are thus
recommended for general reading and appreciation by all and sundry. These
cases are as hereunder provided:
16. Secondly, the other aspect which requires due consideration in an adversarial
system is the understanding that each of the parties involved are the prime
movers of their respective cases and must therefore place before the court the
salient and key aspects of their client cases.
19. Perhaps it is appropriate to sample a few and to discern what the various courts
have had to say about the adversarial legal system and the need to plead issues
with particularity and requisite specificity.
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20. In the case of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission & another vs
Stephen Mutinda Mule & 3 others [2014] eKLR,4 the Court of Appeal whilst
addressing an aspect of adversarial system stated thus;
“first, ADETOUN OLADEJI (NIG) LTD Vs. NIGERIA BREWERIES PLC S.C.
91/2002, Judge Pius Aderemi J.S.C. expressed himself, and we would readily
agree, as follows;
“….it is now a very trite principle of law that parties are bound by
their pleadings and that any evidence led by any of the parties
which does not support the averments in the pleadings, or put in
another way, which is at variance with the averments of the
pleadings goes to no issue and must be disregarded.”
Other judges on the case expressed themselves in similar terms, with Judge
Christopher Mitchell J.S.C. rendering himself thus;
“In fact, that parties are not allowed to depart from their pleadings
is on the authorities basic as this enables parties to prepare their
evidence on the issues as joined and avoid any surprises by which
no opportunity is given to the other party to meet the new
situation.”
21. Similarly, the Court of Appeal revisited the significance of an adversarial system
and the key features thereto in the case of Dakianga Distributors vs Kenya Seed
Company Ltd (2015) eKLR,5 where the Court of Appeal stated thus;
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22. Additionally the Supreme Court in the case of Raila Amolo Odinga & Others vs
IEBC & Others (2017) eKLR,6 stated and held thus;
23. The key points to take home from understanding the legal system therefore
entails the meaning thereof and the features that underpin the legal system and
by extension, the necessity to ensure that the pleadings required under the
prevailing legal system espouse the factual and legal scenario capable of
establishing a cause of action known to law.
24. As pointed out elsewhere herein before, civil litigation is a process and not an
event. Consequently, any counsel who has been briefed and is thus desirous to
commence civil litigation is called upon to do the following;
ii. Demand letter in terms of clause (i) must then give the adverse
party reasonable timeline to respond and/or react to the
grievance.
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iv. In discerning whether to approach the court or otherwise, the
advocate must appreciate the key features of the case and whether
the issues in dispute are subject to the Arbitration Act of 1995.
vi. The next key step would involve filing of the requisite pleadings
and for good measure it is imperative to discern the
relevant/correct court registry i.e. ELC registry, High Court registry,
Chief Magistrate’s Court Registry, Small Claims Registry, The Court
of Appeal Registry and The Supreme Court Registry. Furthermore
it is also imperative that where the courts have divisions, the
pleadings ought to be lodged with the relevant division registry.
ix. It is worthy to note that where summons are not duly served
within the requisite timeline, same lapses and the entire suit
becomes extinguished. (See Daykumar Chandulal Rajani & 3
Others vs Charles Thaithi [1991] eKLR, Equatorial Commercial
Bank Limited vs Mohansons (K) Limited [2012] eKLR and Pius
Kimaiyo Langat v Co-operative Bank of Kenya Limited [2017]
eKLR.)
x. Once the summons are duly served and the adverse party
responds, it behooves the counsel to discern whether there would
be need to file a response to the pleadings. (See Order 2 Rule 12
of the Civil Procedure Rules. 2010. Instructively, there are times
where failure to file a response to the adverse party’s pleadings
would be fatal.)
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xi. If the adverse party files a defense and counterclaim, then it
behooves the Claimant to file a suitable reply to defense and
defense to counterclaim.
xii. Thereafter the parties must set in motion the case settlement and
trial conference. (See Order 11 of the Civil Procedure Rules, 2010.)
25. Once all the procedural roles are dealt with, the advocate must then ready
themselves for the hearing which entails undertaking pre-trial briefing with the
client, timely and punctual court attendant and prosecution/defense.
26. After delivery of judgment, there arises the need for execution proceedings and
execution proceedings are provided for in various statutes. (See Order 22 of the
Civil Procedure Rules.)
27. Crafting effective pleadings. Given the adversarial nature of the Kenyan legal
system, there is no gainsaying that pleadings occupy a central and critical stage
in the pursuit of civil justice. In this regard, effective pleadings therefore enhance
the chances of a party to attain effective determination and/or adjudication of
the issues/questions in dispute.
28. Additionally, it is important to point out that the pleadings filed by the
counsel/party delineates the contours and/or boundaries of the issues that the
court is called upon to determine and where a pleading is effectively crafted,
adjudication of the question in dispute is made easy and the time taken reduced.
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complains, the provisions said to be infringed, and the manner in
which they have been infringed.”
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31. Key points to take home from effective pleadings entails;
i. the fact that it is the pleadings that set the agenda for discussion
and ultimate determination of the issue in question.
ii. Every type of pleading must accord with and/or comply with the
relevant statute.
32. To start with, there is a saying that good mannerism will open unto one doors,
some of which neither education nor riches will do.
33. Arising from the foregoing proverb, it is important to underscore that court
etiquette and professionalism are key tools in advocacy and in particular civil
litigation.
34. The key points that underpin court room etiquette and professionalism are inter-
alia:
i. Compliance with the Advocate dress code as pushed and
publicized from time to time.
ii. Neatness.
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vii. Honesty whilst canvassing client’s case.
viii. Being well researched and conversant with the relevant statute and
latest case law, if any, relative to the issue in question.
35. Before departing from court room etiquette and professionalism, it is worth
noting that there has been a growing tendency of advocates resorting to twitter,
now X, Facebook and/or generally social media to either canvass their cases
and/or grievances against judges and judicial officers. However, the humble and
conservative training that advocates undergo inculcates and imbue in the
advocates decorum, including the manner in which to ventilate and canvass
grievances, irrespective of the magnitude thereof.
36. Instructively, after the preparation of the requisite pleadings, the filing and
service of same, there comes the stage where the concerned parties must now
present the evidence to the court.
38. Consequently, the presentation of evidence before the court is one key aspect
that merits due attention.
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ii. The documents must not be on a without prejudice basis. (See
Section 23 of the Evidence Act.)
iii. If public documents, same must have been procured and obtained
in a lawful and legitimate manner. {See Njonjo Mue vs Chairman
IEBC & Others (2017)eKLR; Attorney General vs Okiya Omutata
& Another (2020)eKLR and Kenya Railways Corporation & 2
others v Okoiti & 3 others (Petition 13 & 18 of 2020
(Consolidated)) [2022] KESC 2 (KLR) (10 February 2022)
(Ruling).}
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CASE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
41. The hearing and determination of cases depend on a number of issues but most
importantly; the availability of the court, witnesses and more often than not,
the readiness of the advocates involved.
42. Furthermore, the management of the cases also depend on the appreciation of
the issues involved and thus some of the case management strategies are as
hereunder:
ii. Timely and punctual service of the court process on the adverse
party.
vi. Due understanding of the case, including the facts and the relevant
law.
viii. Complying with set timelines and procedural rules. {See Moses
Mwicigi vs IEBC & Others (2016)eKLR paragraphs 65, 66 and 67;
Fredrick Otieno Outa vs Jared Odoyo Okello 92017)eKLR-
paragraph 65; Kakuta Maimai Hamisi vs Peris Pesi Tobiko &
Others (2014)eKLR and Zacharia Okoth Obado vs Professor
Edward Akong’o Oyugi (2014)eKLR}, as pertains to respect for
timelines and rules of procedure.
43. Civil litigation is a minefield, wrought and replete with various challenges, which
must be navigated by counsels at all times in order to attain optimum benefits
attendant to and arising from civil litigation.
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44. Some of the challenges/lapses are:
viii. Absenteeism.
x. Lack/want of diligence.
xiii. Dishonesty.
xix. Corruption.
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FINAL REMARKS
45. For those who are keen to prosper in civil litigation, it is imperative to take
cognizance of the remarks of the Court of Appeal in the case of MUMO
MATEMU Vs. TRUSTED SOCIETY OF HUMAN RIGHTS ALLIANCE & 5
OTHERS Civil Appeal No. 290 of 2012 (2013)eKLR as follows:
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