Why Kenya’s Unsung AG James Karugu was Honored by Top U.S University
James Karugu, a distinguished lawyer who succeeded Charles Njonjo as Kenya’s attorney-general, received a posthumous honorary doctorate in public service from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in the United States, reminding people of a figure often overlooked by Kenyans.
Karugu was living a peaceful life on his Kiambu coffee farm when he passed away in November 2022. In the 1970s, he was known as the deputy public prosecutor, and in April 1980, President Daniel Moi appointed him as the new AG after Mr. Njonjo, Kenya’s first AG, resigned to enter politics.
However, on June 2, 1981, Karugu unexpectedly resigned, which was later revealed to be under pressure to give President Moi more control over the legal system.
After leaving the State Law Office, Karugu chose to distance himself from the turbulent Nyayo politics and settled his family on the Kiambu coffee farm.
In awarding him an honorary doctorate in public service, the university has described Karugu as a “distinguished alumnus” whose “remarkable journey from BGSU to the corridors of power in Kenya served as an enduring testament to the transformative power of education”.
His daughter Vicky Karugu collected the award.
Professional accomplishments
In 2010, the university honored Karugu as one of its top 100 alumni for his remarkable professional achievements as Kenya’s second Attorney General.
Karugu enrolled at BGSU in 1958, during a time of racial segregation in the US. Being the first African student at the university, followed soon after by Samuel Adu-Ampoma, who later became Ghana’s high commissioner to Kenya in the 1970s, Karugu faced significant racial discrimination.
Prof Kefa Otiso, a geography lecturer at BGSU, mentioned that when one of Karugu’s white classmates took him to a nearby bar, the classmate had to clarify that Karugu was an exchange student from Africa to avoid issues with entry.
Nevertheless, Karugu was part of a pioneering generation of students who sought education in the US, motivating many others to follow in their footsteps. Karugu’s father sold four acres of land for Sh4,000 ($1,867 at the time) to fund his studies in the US. Karugu completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and then pursued a law degree at Lincoln’s Inn in the United Kingdom.
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“His life taught us that the advancement of society, not personal gain, is the true purpose of leadership,” Vicky said at the convocation.
Although Karugu made an impact as a public prosecutor in the State Law Office, he encountered his greatest challenge when he assumed the role of Attorney General at a time when Moi aimed to dominate all centers of power.
“The test of our society,” Karugu had told Parliament during his maiden speech, “shall be that the rule of law shall prevail, that we are guided by principles and principles alone and preservations of our public institutions, as they are so that personal vengeance has no place in our society; that the humblest man has his right to be protected by the State so that no one shall be persecuted or have his liberty taken away or embarrassed for his thoughts or opinion.”
Taking power
The speech stirred controversy because it was delivered during a time when Moi was actively pursuing his critics and alienating supporters of the 1977 movement that aimed to prevent Moi from automatically succeeding Jomo Kenyatta after his death.
Karugu’s approach as Attorney General faced criticism, particularly about the high-profile Frank Sandstrom case, where an American marine was accused of murdering Monica Njeri in Mombasa. The situation attracted even more attention when Justice Leslie Harris imposed a fine of Sh500 on Mr. Sandstrom for the killing.
Karugu astonished Parliament by expressing dissatisfaction with the ruling. However, by then, the marine had already paid the fine and departed.
As he once told this writer, his main worry when he became the AG was that corruption was taking root in the Judiciary. “Although it was not as rampant, it was there …”
And when he quit, he had one philosophy that guided him: “I don’t have to be corrupt, and I can earn money by farming.”
The most recent recognition goes to a man who exited public service without any controversy. He is considered Kenya’s most independent-minded Attorney General.
Why Kenya’s Unsung AG James Karugu was Honored by Top U.S University