Practice Area

Alternative Justice Systems

Honouring Article 159(1)(c)–(d), traditional, informal and restorative justice that complements the formal courts.

Overview

How we work this practice.

Alternative Justice Systems practice at Johnson & Partners

In line with Article 159(1)(c)–(d) of the Constitution of Kenya, we work alongside communities, councils of elders and public institutions to design and implement traditional, informal and restorative mechanisms that complement formal courts. Our practice sits at the meeting point of customary legitimacy and constitutional standards.

Alternative Justice Systems work best when they are designed with care, run with discipline and documented in a way the formal courts can recognise. We bring the policy fluency, community trust and procedural rigour to make that happen. We are co-authors of national AJS materials and have helped shape the Judiciary's framework on the ground.

Our AJS work supports community land and resource disputes, gender-sensitive process design, restorative outcomes in matters that would otherwise overwhelm the formal courts, and capacity building for elders, judicial officers and project teams operating in customary contexts.

Common Legal Challenges We Address
  • Community land and resource conflicts
  • Gender-sensitive process design in customary fora
  • Court recognition and enforcement of AJS outcomes
  • Capacity building for elders and judicial officers
Key Areas of Expertise

What we deliver.

01AJS process design and policy advisory
02Council of elders engagement
03Restorative justice and mediation
04Community land and resource dispute resolution
05Training for AJS practitioners and judicial officers
How Johnson & Partners Delivers Value

A deliberate four-step approach.

Strategic counsel, executed with the discipline of a top-tier institution.

01

Community mapping and consent

02

Process design and facilitation

03

Resolution and documentation

04

Court recognition where required

Process designs that win community consent and judicial recognition
Documentation aligned with court-recognition standards
Trained councils of elders and AJS practitioners
Conflict de-escalation in resource-rights disputes
Why Choose Johnson & Partners

Distinctions that matter to the outcome.

01

Co-authors of national AJS field materials

02

Deep community trust across Kajiado, Narok and beyond

03

Working partnerships with the Judiciary's AJS framework

04

Bilingual practitioners with on-the-ground experience

Industry Experience

Where we apply this practice.

Related Team Members

Who you'll work with.

Topua Lesinko
Partner

Topua Lesinko

Partner. Advises on constitutional law, M&A, public procurement and election disputes across Kenya and the region.

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Mary Nyamawi
Office Administrator

Mary Nyamawi

Office Administrator. Qualified accounts professional coordinating office operations, compliance and day-to-day client experience.

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Johnson P. Osoi
Founding Partner

Johnson P. Osoi

Founding Partner. Leads complex corporate, project finance and energy mandates with a regional footprint.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers from our desk.

Are AJS outcomes enforceable?+

Where properly documented and aligned with Article 159, courts routinely give effect to AJS outcomes.

How do you ensure AJS processes meet constitutional standards?+

We design processes that respect the Bill of Rights, particularly equality and non-discrimination, and we document each step so the outcome can be recognised in court.

Can you train councils of elders and judicial officers?+

Yes. We run structured training programmes on AJS principles, recordkeeping, gender-sensitive facilitation and court recognition.

Do you advise extractive and infrastructure projects on community AJS engagement?+

Yes. We design Article 159-aligned community processes that complement statutory consultation under mining, energy and land legislation.

How do you handle gender-sensitive matters in customary fora?+

We work with women elders, legal-aid organisations and trained facilitators to ensure customary processes do not perpetuate exclusion and meet constitutional equality standards.

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