‘The boy from Eastlands who has dined with kings and queens,’ former AG Githu Muigai tells his life story

He is the kind of lawyer who represents you in court and you pocket an assurance of walking out of the courtroom a free man. He is the epitome of success in law.

But behind the vivacious character that drags along a robe of endless accolades, former AG Muigai is just a normal man, just like anyone else, or so he wants you to believe.

He did not start at the bar donning a well-pressed black robe, a white neckband cresting the outfit with a barrister's wig. He started somewhere low, humble, some odd 62 years ago on January 31, 1960.

Prof Muigai took a long trail back in time while narrating his success journey on a motivational discussion platform Engage Talk, where he revealed that he was born in Eastlands, Nairobi before moving to Kiambu where he grew up.

"I was born in the native maternity hospital of Pumwani. Soon after I was born Kenya became independent," Muigai begins.

In 1963 when Kenya gained her independence, Muigai noted that those who were learned, including his father James Stanley Muigai, were lucky to secure good jobs that later catapulted them to work for the government.

"Luckily for my father and others who had some education, opportunities began to open. My father started off in trade unions, he was in the local government workers union, and rose to be a very agitating young man," he narrated.

"Soon thereafter he got a good job in government and we spent a good 10 years travelling all over this country where he served in the Ministry of Labour. About 10 or 11 years thereafter he passed on."

Muigai's mother then took the bull by its horns and braved through raising seven children, all thanks to a Singer sewing machine she bought shortly after her husband and family breadwinner passed on.

Young Githu Miugai, who describes himself as a then "mother's handbag", would come in handy helping his mother in sewing clothes at their Kiambu home.

"My mother was what today we call a homemaker then it was called a housewife and she was a very busy one. From being in the family as a mid-level civil servant, living in a good government house, and going to school in a government land rover we now had to depend on my mother. We worked to mostly supply uniforms to girls," he said.

It was during that period when he initiated an interest in law after he was involved in a very unprecedented situation when his auntie (late) had gone to seek advice from his mother because her husband left home shortly after being awarded compensation money when the government used a portion of his land to build a road.

"And so my mum tells my auntie 'you need a lawyer', and so we were off to Nairobi, off to Jevanjee to an office of a man called J.K Kamere. And so as I am sitting there I see him with a three-piece suit and I ask my mother what he does and my mum says 'he speaks for people' it didn't make sense but I went on with my life," he narrated.

With the three-piece-suit mystery still lingering in his mind, Muigai joins secondary school and always visited law courts to follow the proceedings while still marvelling at the suits and the modus-operandi of the premise.

"I begin high school and during long holidays I go down to the law courts and I listen to the lawyers. White hair, smoking long cigarettes and they keep talking and they don't fear the policemen," he says.

What really cemented his decision to pursue law was when the first ever black magistrate came to the Kiambu law courts and Mugai says from his poise to the very last statement before he left the courtroom, was enough to persuade him to be a lawyer.

"What really made it, is a young man called Emannuel Okello Okubasu comes to Kiambu and becomes the first black magistrate to come to court. He hears some cases then stands up and says 'Gentlemen I will hear the rest of the matters in chambers' I said no, this is it," he noted.

Years later he joined the University of Nairobi (UON) to pursue a Bachelor's in Law but admits that he did not spend enough time at the Law school since he had an interest in the Arts.

"I spent an inordinate amount of time at the National Theatre bar. I had a great interest in theatre and drama and got into the company of people who were doing that," he said. 

"I was very keen on writing and at that time we were supporting the Voice of Kenya with scripts (radion and television) and we were then paid in cash."

Muigai somehow managed to finish his undergraduate and while starting his time at the Kenya School of Law, he received a scholarship to the University of Columbia to further his law studies. His experience there was what he says made him distinct from his fellow lawyers back home.

"Another letter came saying that I had won a scholarship to go to America and study for a postgraduate degree in Law. I think my teachers were as shocked as I was that the bar had been set at that level," he said.

"I had the best time of my life as a young man in New York City. I could not believe that a boy from Eastlands, Pumwani had come to the most expensive law school in America and was seated next to the children of the most powerful men and women in the world," he added.

"It frog-leapt me 20 years ahead of my fellow lawyers, it gave me opportunities that I didn't deserve."

His return back home started as being a teacher in Law which granted him the title of a scholar. He finishes his intimate talk by encouraging young people to be aggressive in taking up the many opportunities accorded to them.

"Kenya is a land of opportunity, it is a land where dreams can come true."

"I dined with kings and queens, presidents, prime ministers, senators and all manner of people and each time I pinched myself and said 'A boy from Eastlands'. The rest is history."