UoN Law Students feted prestigious C.B. Madan Awards
The University of Nairobi, Faculty of Law, is proud to celebrate two of its outstanding students, Caleb Kipruto Mutai and Ayaga Max, who have been named recipients of the C.B. Madan Student Prize 2025. Their recognition comes from Platform Magazine, which annually highlights the finest student contributions in legal commentary and critical thought, honouring the legacy of the late Chief Justice C.B. Madan, one of Kenya’s most distinguished jurists.
Caleb Kipruto Mutai’s commentary titled “Defining Present Injustice: Conceptualizing the Meaning of Present Land Injustices in the Constitution of Kenya and its Grasp by the National Land Commission.” His work interrogates how Kenya’s legal and policy framework has tended to prioritise historical land injustices while leaving present-day injustices insufficiently addressed. Caleb argues that although the Constitution empowers the National Land Commission to handle both historical and present land issues, in practice, public discourse and institutional priorities have disproportionately emphasised the past. His contribution calls for urgent attention to the present injustices shaping communities today, reminding us that the law must respond not only to history but also to the lived realities of citizens.
Ayaga Max was honoured for his bold and courageous commentary, “Pheroze Nowrojee SC’s Enduring Charge: Teargas, Tyranny, and the East African Union’s Fragile Egos of Human Rights Abuse.” In this piece, Ayaga critiques the creeping authoritarianism across East Africa, drawing on examples from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. He warns that unchecked state power, disguised as national security, is eroding civil liberties and replacing freedom with fear. His essay is both a scholarly intervention and a passionate call to citizens and institutions to confront the dangers of conformity and silence in the face of repression.
The recognition of Caleb and Ayaga reflects more than individual excellence. It is a testament to the intellectual community that the Faculty of Law seeks to nurture one where students are encouraged to think critically, to interrogate systems of power, and to use scholarship as a tool for justice. Their courage in challenging entrenched narratives and their commitment to advancing human rights and fairness embody the spirit of C.B. Madan, whose life and career were dedicated to upholding the rule of law and the dignity of all people.
We celebrate Caleb and Ayaga not only for their remarkable achievements but also for the example they set for their peers. Their voices remind us that the future of legal scholarship in Kenya and the region rests in the hands of a generation willing to speak truth to power, to confront uncomfortable realities, and to demand that justice serves both memory and the present moment.
