The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has moved to enhance the capacity of the National Environmental Tribunal with the appointment of Environmental Law and Policy Consultant Dr. Kariuki Muigua to serve as a Tribunal member.
The appointment announced in the current issue of the Kenya Gazette by Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu, confirms that Dr. Muigua will serve on the tribunal for a three-year period commencing 21st December 2017.
Established under the Environmental Management and Coordination Act, the National Environment Tribunal’s principal function is to receive, hear and determine appeals arising from decisions of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) on issuance, denial or revocation of environmental impact assessment (EIA) licenses, among other decisions.
While acknowledging his appointment, Dr. Muigua pledged to continue playing a key role in Environmental Policy development by contributing to the Tribunals jurisprudence on pertinent environmental concerns.
“I am pleased by the honour bestowed on me by the Government to serve on the National Environment Tribunal which is a crucial quasi-judicial institution,” said Dr Muigua. “As a member of the Tribunal, I shall strive to play a key role by contributing to the Environmental Law body of knowledge fairly and efficiently while ensuring strict compliance with the applicable Environmental Management laws,” he added.
An Advocate of the High Court of Kenya of over 27 years standing and a partner practicing at Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates, a firm that specialises in environmental and commercial law litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Dr Muigua is an accomplished Mediator and a Chartered Arbitrator, with widespread training and experience in both international and domestic commercial arbitration and mediation.
He holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Nairobi. He has undertaken specialised courses specifically on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Audit (EA) which earned him the EIA/EA lead expert accreditation by the National Environmental Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA).
He is also a Lead Consultant and Expert at Pristine Consultants, an Environmental Law and Policy Consultancy drawing its clientele from Kenya and elsewhere around the world. It consults for high profile local and international clients on Environmental policy, Environmental dispute/conflicts resolutions, strategic environmental planning, Occupational Health and Safety management, Cleaner Production (CP), Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit.
On the academic front, Dr. Muigua, teaches law at the School of Law, University of Nairobi and has also previously taught at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP).
Dr. Muigua is the author of an Environmental Law book titled, Nurturing Our Environment for Sustainable Development, Glenwood Publishers, Nairobi – 2016). He has also co-authored a book titled, Natural Resources and Environmental Justice in Kenya, (Glenwood Publishers, Nairobi, 2015).
He has published many articles on Environmental Law and Natural Resources. As an Environmental Law Consultant, he has worked with both the government and private entities. Dr. Muigua has also collaborated with various environmental advocacy groups in Kenya and regionally. He works with professionals affiliated to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) especially in the areas of Environmental Resources and their management through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Mediation and Public Participation.
His research interests include environmental and natural resources law, governance, access to justice, human rights and constitutionalism, conflict resolution, the nexus between environmental law and human rights and governments’ policy with regard to environmental law and economics.
His other works include: Alternative Dispute Resolution and Access to Justice in Kenya, (Glenwood Publishers, Nairobi, 2015); Resolving Conflicts through Mediation in Kenya, (Glenwood Publishers, Nairobi, 2013); and Settling Disputes through Arbitration in Kenya, (Glenwood Publishers, Nairobi, 2012).
