Lawyer Willis Otieno has publicly challenged Professor Makau Mutua, chairperson of President William Ruto’s Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Protests, accusing him of practicing law without proper certification.
Otieno took to his official X account on Monday, 15 September 2025, daring Mutua to produce his law practice certificate. He criticized the panel chair for making legal remarks without proper knowledge of law, claiming that Mutua had never been admitted to practice in Kenya.
“Makau, you shout loudest about law, yet you’ve never even been admitted to practice. Produce your practicing certificate, if it exists,” Otieno tweeted. He further accused Mutua of “cosplaying as a lawyer” and labeled him “a noisy fraud with a thesaurus.”
The exchange was triggered by a previous tweet from lawyer Nelson Havi, who demanded that Mutua clarify where he was admitted to practice law and produce his current practicing certificate. Havi stated, “I do not want to be taught by a quack at law.”
In response, Makau Mutua claimed he obtained his law certifications in 1988 at a New York school, implying that his qualifications predate Havi’s law education.
This public spat comes shortly after Mutua was sworn in as chair of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations, Public Protests, and Riots. President Ruto mandated the panel through a Gazette Notice in August 2025 to establish a framework for identifying, verifying, and supporting victims of brutality. The panel, which includes members such as Kennedy Ogeto, Houston Irungu of Amnesty International Kenya, Dr. John Olukuru, Rev. Kennedy Barasa Simiyu, and others, has been tasked with delivering justice within three months.
Mutua had previously stated he would resign if forced to cover up government faults, highlighting his commitment to impartiality. The ongoing debate over his legal qualifications has now attracted nationwide attention, raising questions about expertise and accountability within high-profile government advisory roles.
