about me
Mugambi has recently completed his PhD(Law) at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. His PhD focus area was the right to privacy and data protection in Kenya with his PhD thesis title being ‘Adequacy of Data Protection Regulation in Kenya‘.
Mugambi is a Chevening Scholar and holds a Master of Laws Degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science where he specialised in Human Rights Law and International Commercial Arbitration. He also holds a Diploma of Law from the Kenya School of Law and a Bachelor of Laws from Moi University. He is a Certified Information Privacy Manager.
Mugambi is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a trained Mediator, a legislative and policy analyst, and also PrivacyOps Certified Privacy and Data Protection Professional. He provides consulting and advisory services in policy development, governance, rule of law, constitutionalism, constitutional reforms, legislative drafting, project management, monitoring and evaluation, ethics and sustainability, internet and the law, privacy, data protection and business development.
Mugambi Laibuta currently teaches Legal Writing and Legislative Drafting at the Kenya School of Law.
Mugambi advises private, public, intergovernmental, international, regional, civil society and academic institutions to ensure they comply with internationally recognized data protection principles.
Mugambi has previously served as the Director Legal Affairs and Acting Director for Health at the Council of Governors. He has practical expertise and experience analysing and advising on complex and diverse legal and policy issues that affect the national and county governments. Of note, he was the lead legal advisor for county governments during the health workers industrial action crisis of 2017.
Over the last eight years, Mugambi has been instrumental in protecting the digital space in Kenya. He has represented and advised bloggers, journalists and institutions on protecting, promoting and expanding the right to freedom of expression, freedom of the press and access to information in Kenya. He trains lawyers and bloggers on internet and the law matters within East Africa.
As a constitutional reforms architect, Mugambi has worked on constitutional review processes in Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Chile and Sudan.
Involvement in Publications
- February 2020: ‘Get ready for Covid-19 digital passports and new world order’ available at https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001403293/get-ready-for-covid-19-digital-passports-and-new-world-order
- January 2020: ‘Amendment of Official Secrets Act curious available at https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001398969/amendment-of-official-secrets-act-curious
- December 2020: ‘Kenya’s Elite-led ‘Popular’ Initiative Seeks First Amendments to 2010 Constitution’ available at https://constitutionnet.org/news/kenyas-elite-led-popular-initiative-seeks-first-amendments-2010-constitution
- December 2020: ‘The BBI Proposal on Data Protection Should be Clear’ available at https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/commentary/article/2001397145/bbi-proposal-on-protection-of-personal-data-should-be-clear
- November 2020: ‘Is the Huduma Namba Compliant with the Constitution’ available at https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/the-standard-insider/article/2001394517/huduma-namba-and-what-it-means-for-you
- October 2020: ‘From a Kenyan ‘Handshake’ to Constitutional Reform: Towards a Bloated Semi-Presidential System?’ available at https://constitutionnet.org/news/kenyan-handshake-constitutional-reform-towards-bloated-semi-presidential-system
- October 2020: ‘Preventing human rights abuses in the digitisation of the TB and COVID-19 responses’ at the 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health
- October 2020: ‘Rise of bio-surveillance during COVID19’ at a world webinar by Open Society Foundation
- October 2018: ‘Popular initiatives to amend Kenya’s constitution: A misdiagnosis of the problem?’ available at https://constitutionnet.org/news/popular-initiatives-amend-kenyas-constitution-misdiagnosis-problem
- December 2015: Chapter ‘Judicial adjudication of intergovernmental disputes in Kenya: Defining judicial boundaries and appropriate remedies’ in Animating Devolution in Kenya the Role of the Judiciary published by Judiciary Training Institute and the International Development Law Organization – Kenya
- August, 2013: ‘Implementing Kenya’s 2010 Constitution: Is the Kenyan Dream too costly?’ available at http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/implementing-kenyas-2010-constitution-kenyan-dream-too-costly
- August, 2013: ‘Exploring options open for public dialogue in the Kenyan Constitution’ available at http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/exploring-options-open-public-dialogue-kenyan-constitution
- July, 2013:‘Money, politics and the rise of the ‘fourth branch of government’ in Kenya’ available at http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/money-politics-and-rise-fourth-branch-government-kenya
- July, 2013: ‘Turf battles in the new Kenyan Parliament – Democracy at work or politics as usual?’ available at http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/turf-battles-new-kenyan-parliament-democracy-work-or-politics-usual
- June, 2013: ‘Electoral dispute resolution: Kenya’s jump from street justice to judicial institutions’available at http://www.constitutionnet.org/comment/reply/11526#comment-form
- June, 2013: ‘Implementing devolution in Kenya: challenges and opportunities two months on’available at http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/implementing-devolution-kenya-challenges-and-opportunities-two-months
- 10 May, 2013: ‘MPs Salary: Who Will Protect The Constitution?’ in The Star
- 5 Oct, 2011: ‘In the Wake of the Falling Shilling We Should Rethink the Capitalist Model’ in the Daily Nation
- September, 2009: Chapter, “Constitutional, Legal and Institutional Reform: What Role in Addressing Impunity” in the Annual Judiciary Watch Report Volume 8 published by the Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists.
Academic Dissertations
1. August, 2011: Master of Laws Dissertation – ‘Multi-National Corporations in Human Rights Protection and the Role of the African Union’ (unpublished), submitted in partial fulfilment of the Master of Laws Degree (LLM), London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
2. August, 2011: Master of Laws Extended Essay – ‘Re-examining Executive Control over Judicial Appointments: Lessons for Kenya from South Africa’ (unpublished) submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Laws Degree (LLM),London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
3. May 2007: Final Year Undergraduate Dissertation – “Realization, Protection and Justiciability of the Right to Health in Kenya; A Critical Appraisal” (unpublished), submitted in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB), School of Law, Moi University, Eldoret.
clients
Mugambi Laibuta has worked on diverse projects with:
Global Communities International; Strathmore University School of Law; Kenya School of Law; Standard and Mutual; The Institute for Social Accountability; UN-Habitat; Kenya Association of Manufacturers; Oxfam-GB; International IDEA; World Bank; Leigh Day; East Africa Association of Grant Makers; VSO-Jitolee; International Development Law Organisation; National Constitutional Review Commission of South Sudan; Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review; Kenya Law Reform Commission Kenya Human Rights Commission; Health Rights Advocates Forum, Kituo Cha Sheria; Kenya Society for the Blind; African Rehabilitation Institute; Kenya Polytechnic University College (now Technical University of Kenya)