This man Alnashir Visram: Profile

Justice Alnashir Visram is one of the six candidates seeking to replace Dr Willy Mutunga at the helm of the Judiciary.

The 66-year old judge was born and brought up in Kisii, Kenya.

Education

Justice Alnashir Visram is an alumnus of Kisumu Boys High School and the University of Nairobi.

In 1972, he graduated as the pioneer class of the newly established Faculty of Law of the University of Nairobi and was admitted to practice law in Kenya in 1973.

In 1975, he relocated to Canada and enrolled for a second degree in law at University of British Columbia graduating in 1978. In 2006, he graduated with a Master’s degree in international law from the University of Nairobi.

Career

In 1978, he took up a job at the Aga Khan University-Pakistan for three years.

1980, he became the CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Kenya, a job he held until 1992.

In 1992, he returned to practicing law in Kenya.

In 1999, he was appointed a Commissioner of Assize by the Judiciary, essentially to help clean up a huge backlog of cases.

In 2001, he was sworn in as a Judge of the High Court of Kenya.

In 2009, he was elevated to Judge of the Court of Appeal, the highest court in Kenya at that time.

Justice Alnashir Visram highlight rulings

His award, to former minister Nicholas Biwott, of Ksh 30 million against Dr Ian West and others for defamation. It drew outrage and condemnation for the high award.

His award in a libel case, to former Appeal Court Judge R. Kwach, of Ksh 5.5 million against the Standard Group.

His ruling in track-athlete Eric Keter’s case on his exclusion from the 2000 Olympic games. He termed the exclusion unfair and ordered that the defunct Kenya Amateur Athletic Association includes Keter in the list.

His ruling compelling Kenya Power, the monopoly power distribution firm in Kenya, to restore electricity to a business consumer it could not cut off power to its consumers on a whim.