The Judiciary of Kenya has been thrown into mourning following the death of the Vice Chairperson of the Political Disputes Tribunal Wilfred Mutubwa who collapsed and died while on a brief break from a virtual court session in Nairobi on Tuesday evening.
However, what caused the death of the lawyer remained a mystery even as the family remained engulfed in pain by the news.
Mutubwa, at the time of his death, was also working with Mt Kenya University as the Dean of the School of Law.
Chief Justice Martha Koome on Wednesday morning led the judiciary in mourning the legal scholar, describing him as a distinguished advocate for a multi-door approach to the delivery of justice in Kenya.
The late Wilfred Mutubwa during a past graduation ceremony at Mount Kenya University.
Mount Kenya University
”On behalf of the Judiciary family and on my own behalf, I extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Dr. Wilfred Mutubwa, who served as the Vice-Chairperson of the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) and as a Member of the Judiciary’s Court Annexed Mediation Taskforce,” Koome stated.
”Dr Mutubwa, who was also the Chairman Emeritus of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Kenya Branch, was renowned as a leading advocate for the multi-door approach to the delivery of justice in Kenya. His championing of arbitration and mediation as preferred methods of dispute resolution was instrumental in shaping these practices within the justice sector,” she added.
Mutubwa was also a champion of the Alternative Dispute Resolution having served as Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Kenya.
According to his close associates, Mutubwa was also involved in the ongoing dispute at a city hospital and was actively involved in making efforts to help the institution reach an amicable solution.
Law Society of Kenya(LSK) President Faith Odhiambo also led fellow legal practitioners in mourning the legal don describing him as a decorated practitioner, academician, and champion of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
”Through his notable work in ADR, Mutubwa earned a place as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague and led groundbreaking efforts in enhancing the place of Arbitration in Kenya’s justice system,” Odhiambo stated.
”The great success he achieved in his brief but impactful time as the dean at MKU School Of Law is a testament to his unreserved commitment to mentorship and growth of the legal profession,” she added.
Mutubwa’s body was later picked up by the authorities and moved to the mortuary as investigations and subsequent autopsy to reveal what might have killed him began.
The late Wilfred Mutubwa who at the time of death was Dean School of Law Mount Kenya University.