Office bearers

Lady Justice Jacqueline Akhalemesi Anam Mogeni, MBS, is a Judge of the Environment and Land Court of Kenya and President of the Pan-African Association of Judges on Environment, Land & Labour (PAAJELLA). She has served as a Judge since June 2021 and brings more than 30 years of professional experience spanning judicial service, legal practice, environment and land justice, human rights, governance, devolution and institutional development.

Before joining the Judiciary, she was the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Governors, where she established and strengthened its Secretariat, mobilised resources, built institutional systems and advanced intergovernmental engagement. She also served as a Member and Chairperson of the Legal and Intergovernmental Relations Committee of the Transition Authority, contributing to the phased transfer of functions, assets and institutional responsibilities to Kenya’s county governments.

Her earlier career includes human rights and governance leadership with UNDP, the Nile Basin Initiative and civil society organisations, with particular experience in gender justice, children’s rights, natural resource governance, public participation and access to justice. She has engaged in regional and international forums on human rights, gender, governance and environmental and land justice.

She holds an LL.B (Second Class Honours) from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Legal Studies from the Kenya School of Law and an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Nairobi. She is a PhD candidate at the Technical University of Kenya, is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, and was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) in 2018.

As PAAJELLA President, she provides overall strategic leadership while advancing resource mobilisation, partnerships, judicial learning and Pan-African cooperation in environment, land, labour and climate justice.

Justice Mugo David Mwangi is a Judge of the Environment and Land Court of Kenya and Vice President of PAAJELLA. His professional experience spans judicial service, legal practice, land and civil justice, public-interest litigation, governance and institutional leadership. He has more than 25 years of experience in these fields and was appointed to the Bench in 2021. He currently serves as Presiding Judge of the Environment and Land Court at Kajiado.

Before joining the Judiciary, he practised law, focusing on family, civil and land matters and public-interest litigation. His contribution to children’s rights was recognised with the Pro-bono Children Lawyer of the Year Golden Award in 2010.

In 2013, he became the pioneer Speaker of the Nyeri County Assembly, where he established institutional structures and systems and guided implementation of its first Strategic Plan. He later served as Legal Advisor to two Nyeri County Governors.

He holds an LL.B from the University of Nairobi, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and an LL.M from the University of East London. He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Certified Secretary.

As a founding member and Vice President of PAAJELLA, he advances judicial learning, institutional development and Pan-African cooperation in environment, land and labour justice.

Justice Edward Karoph Wabwoto is a Judge of the Environment and Land Court of Kenya and Secretary of PAAJELLA. He has served on the Bench since June 2021 and has more than 19 years of professional experience spanning environmental and climate change law, land law, legislative drafting, international environmental negotiations and legal practice. He currently serves as Presiding Judge of the Environment and Land Court at Kisumu.

Before his appointment to the Bench, he was a Senior Legal Officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), handling environmental litigation and prosecutions, providing legal advisory services, and supporting the development of environmental legislation, regulations and policy. He previously practised law with Omondi Waweru & Co. Advocates in Mombasa.

At NEMA, he served on Kenya’s technical legal team to the UNFCCC and participated in negotiations contributing to the Paris Agreement. He contributed to Kenya’s Climate Change Act, 2016 and related regulations, and co-authored Legislating the Paris Agreement in Africa (2021).

He holds an LL.B from Moi University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice and a Certificate in Legislative Drafting from the Kenya School of Law. He was admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya in 2007 and is a Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public. He is a member of the Law Society of Kenya and the Commonwealth Judges and Magistrates Association.

As PAAJELLA Secretary, he supports institutional governance, judicial learning and Pan-African cooperation in environment, land and labour justice.

Antonio Braizeniv (Kenya) is a development and organisational leadership professional with over 12 years of experience in strategic leadership, institutional development, programme and business development, resource mobilisation and cross-sector partnerships across East Africa. As Chief Executive Officer of PAAJELLA, he provides strategic and operational leadership focused on institutional strengthening, continental partnerships, resource mobilisation and programmes advancing judicial learning, professional collaboration and environmental, land and labour justice across Africa.

His executive track record spans civil society, development, health, education and the private sector. At the Economic and Social Rights Centre–Hakijamii, he secured a KES 28 million Amplify Change grant, demonstrating his capacity to mobilise resources for rights-based programming.

Previously, at the International University of East Africa (IUEA) in Uganda, he secured a partnership with Kano State, Nigeria, supporting the sponsorship of 347 students across two degree programmes, and helped grow student enrolment from approximately 560 to 1,940 within 15 months. At a leading health and development organisation in Kenya, he led the development and national rollout of Partner Notification Services training, securing a US$500,000 USAID grant and additional PEPFAR funding.

He also served as Chief Executive Officer of Sir Antonio International Ltd and is the Founder and CEO of Adopt A School Foundation, a Public Benefit Organisation advancing vulnerability reduction programmes on education, gender equality and youth wellbeing. He holds a Bachelor of Development Studies from Makerere University, Uganda.

At PAAJELLA, he brings a results-oriented approach to institutional sustainability, strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation, strengthening the Association as a credible Pan-African platform for judicial learning, knowledge exchange and professional collaboration in advancing justice for people and planet.

Cynthia Audrey Oluoch (Kenya) is a legal and environmental-governance professional leading programmes at PAAJELLA. Her work spans environmental and climate justice, land and labour justice, legal research, policy development and advocacy.

She contributes to defining programme priorities, conducting needs assessments, designing initiatives, and building partnerships with public institutions and civil society organisations. Her experience includes developing project documents, reports, training materials and policy briefs, and coordinating workshops and stakeholder engagements.

Cynthia supports knowledge management and exchange, connecting research, judicial learning and programme implementation across Africa. She brings a multidisciplinary perspective combining legal practice, environmental governance and programme coordination, with experience engaging communities.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Kenyatta University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. She has undertaken training in climate justice, environmental law, sustainable development and locally led climate action.

At PAAJELLA, she provides programme leadership to translate strategic priorities into activities and partnerships advancing justice for people and planet.