On Saturday, 31st August 2024, the Attorney General, Hon. Dorcas A. Oduor, SC, OGW, EBS, officially launched the inaugural Open Day for the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice.
The Open Day was organized to foster engagement with the public and to raise awareness of the services offered by the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice. The event aimed to explore ways in which the office could better serve the public, while also highlighting its core mandate—to promote, protect, and uphold the rule of law, and to defend the public interest.
Throughout the day, various departments within the Office of the Attorney General had the opportunity to engage directly with members of the public, answering questions and demystifying the complexities of the office’s operations. The goal was to inspire the public to ask pertinent questions about the services provided and to encourage constructive dialogue on how these services might be improved.
Visitors were able to interact with key technical departments under the Office of the Attorney General, including:
• Civil Litigation Department: Responsible for representing the National Government in court or in any other legal proceedings involving the National Government.
• Legislative Drafting Department: Tasked with drafting prioritized Bills, substantive, and subsidiary legislation for the Government and its agencies.
• Registrar General: Maintains records of all civil marriages under the Marriage Act and registers societies under the Societies Act.
• Public Trustee: Administers trusts and estates under the Trustees Act.
• Advocates Complaints Commission: Investigates and prosecutes complaints of professional misconduct against advocates.
• International Law Department: Provides legal advice and negotiates, drafts, and vets international agreements and treaties on behalf of the Government.
• Government Transactions Department: Vets, interprets, and provides legal advice on commercial matters, including public procurement and related contracts for Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
• Legal Advisory and Research Department: Offers legal advice to Government Ministries, State Departments, Constitutional Commissions, and County Governments.
• Department of Justice: Coordinates and facilitates constitutional implementation, ensures compliance with human rights obligations, and develops the policy framework for legal education and training in Kenya.
The Attorney General emphasized the importance of enhancing service delivery through the adoption of technology. The Office of the Attorney General is currently in the process of fully digitizing and automating critical front-facing services, particularly in the areas of Public Trustee and Marriages processes. The office is committed to approaching this task with dedication, relying on the trust and active collaboration of the public.
Currently, the Office of the Attorney General operates in Nairobi and has a presence in 12 regional offices, including Nakuru, Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisumu, Kisii, Nyeri, Embu, Machakos, Malindi, Garissa, and Meru. Plans are underway to expand key services to all 47 counties, making the services more accessible to the people of Kenya.
In her remarks, the Attorney General reiterated that with combined effort, dedication, and hard work, the Office of the Attorney General would not only be a place of work but a driving force in the administration of law and justice in Kenya.
