‘I had no toilet’ narrates first female magistrate Justice Effie Owour – KBC

Kenya’s first female magistrate Lady Justice Effie Owuor on Monday recounted her arduous journey in the corridors of justice as she tried to claim her space in a male-dominated field.

Fondly known as Effie, she made history as a woman of many firsts and she was a notable presence at the Assumption of Office historic ceremony hosted by the Judiciary for Kenya’s first female Chief Justice Martha Koome.

She was among the distinguished guests honoured and given an opportunity by the new CJ whom they have worked closely with over the years to give a brief speech.

Justice Owour experience as Kenya’s first female magistrate in 1970 may have caused laughter but her struggle to break the glass ceiling did not come without a fight in a Judiciary that had not envisaged women in leadership.

Part of the gains women are enjoying today at one of the crucial arms of government is partly credited to her undying resolve in the fight against women empowerment in a male-dominated culture.

Chief Justice Koome when calling her on stage celebrated her many outstanding contributions to the field of jurisprudence at a time when women were slowly making inroads into top posts.

Lady Justice Owour narrated how she surmounted barriers in her push for change that seemed elusive including having the then CJ give up his toilet just for her.

“I will talk briefly about the change that has been in this institution about half a century ago. … I know where we have come from. I did not even know where to powder my nose….the male judges told me I cannot go to where they go because we do everything else differently. I said okay, I will be going to the Hilton hotel daily until the CJ gave up his toilet to make peace between me and the male judges” she told the guests amid laughter.

This was just the beginning of her many fights for change and gender equality. One of the major breakthroughs was getting the judicial title ‘Lady Justice’ albeit ridicule by male judges.

“They did not even know what they would call me. Someone was told to write a brief on how I should be called. Others said ‘Mrs Judge’ others said Lady Justice which they finally settled on. It became a debate. The naughty advocates would make fun of the title and call me ‘ooh my lady’ and I would tell them am not your lady, it offended me. . It was not easy breaking into this place” she explained.

She hailed Koome’s appointment saying it is a new dawn for Kenya and the Judiciary.

“ I did not know that within my 78 years I would come here to talk about a woman chief Justice. This change has amalgamated into a situation where society has now accepted women. Kenyans have not misplaced their trust. We know this country has given the power to a balanced person who is not only a jurist, but a God-fearing woman and an administrator… after 10 years I believe we will say thank you” She added.

Series of “firsts”

Lady Justice Effie Owuor, a retired judge of the Court of Appeal of Kenya, had a distinguished legal career spanning 33 years. She has a distinction of having a series of “firsts” being the first woman state counsel, the first woman magistrate and the very first judge of the High Court and then of the Court of Appeal. She is also credited with being the first woman to sit on the bench

She also served as Kenya’s Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF whose special role was advocacy, fundraising, and spotlighting the rights and plight of children in need of special protection in addition to chairing several national task forces. This included the task force for

Lady Justice Owuor also consults for various national institutions, governments, non-governmental institutions within the country and the region and has written widely and presented a number of papers and opinions on justice, governance and human rights issues.

She was awarded the 2nd Class of the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS). She retired in 2008.