FIRESIDE CHATS WITH THE LEGAL GAL
In my previous article in the series, ‘Fireside Chats with the Legal Gal’, I wrote on my time at an agribusiness, as well as becoming an ESG Professional https://mmsadvocates.co.ke/budding-life-as-an-esg-manager-transition/
Have a read, let us know what you think and what more you’d like to know about our work at MMS Advocates LLP and how we could be of service. Thank you.
If you have been on the Fireside Chat bandwagon from the word go, you’ll notice that I spoke about being in Mombasa County. The move to Mombasa from Nairobi after resigning from my previous job at Agris, a subsidiary and division under Maris, came with its fair share of physical, emotional, mental & definitely financial adjustments. This, I also spoke on under the “Budding Life as an ESG Manager –Transition” chat. If you haven’t been on the Legal Gal train, take a break here, go back and enjoy the reads while having a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate on my behalf.
Mombasa had its fair share of things to show me, remind me and most of all, to brag about. The last time I was living in Mombasa was over 25 years ago, so coming back to live & work in the hot and humid climate was definitely going to be a trip. While Mombasa is known for its stunning Indian Ocean beaches (like Nyali), rich Swahili culture with Arab/Portuguese influences, historic sites like Fort Jesus, vibrant spice markets – and as Kenya’s main port and a major tourism hub for its beautiful coastline, diverse marine life, and gateway to safaris – I grew up in the Mombasa where I walked to Kengeleni to shop with my mother at Kongowea market. My siblings and I would get from school and before going home, would quickly take ourselves for a dip at the public side of Nyali Beach. Not forgetting, over the weekends, Haller Park was a matatu ride away, so that occupied our time if we were not on our grandparents’ farm in Mtwapa. So this new and improved Mombasa was a departure from the one I’d left behind; more than 2 decades ago to be exact. Not that I had not gone back home to visit; but living there full time had not been on my deck of cards for a while. Now the universe had finally decided to play her hand and bring me back home.
Growing up, life in the tropics; as you would say; was filled with school work, beaches, ice lollies (barafu) and lots and lots of food. From viazi karai, bhajia, mshikaki, to enjoying the ocean and crossing the ferry to Ukunda, mine and my siblings’ lives were an endless rollercoaster of adventure, fun and mischief. Our minds were filled with books and play; with very minimal thought to what our parents would be going through every day in the town whilst working in the heat, to ensure we were alright. So when my time came to come back to where I grew up, specifically to work, I was not prepared.
First, Mombasa was no longer known as a town, but as a city. Second, the navigation that was exclusively by matatus, was now supplemented by taxi hailing apps – Uber & Little being the most preferred. But perhaps the biggest change for me was the fact that now I could not walk as much as before; the city was way more populated than I remembered. This threw me for a loop, as I could easily move from the middle of the town to Buxton with ease. Now with the number of cars, matatus, lorries, mikokoteni, tuktuks and people on the streets, it became almost a futile attempt at navigation during the day. Or perhaps age had also caught up to me. I was 10 years old when my family and I relocated to Nairobi; I was now coming back in my thirties.
When it came to work, I was flabbergasted, to say the least. The MMS Nairobi office was a high octane and fast paced environment; the Mombasa office was the polar opposite. As mentioned in my Fireside chat on Mombasa County, it was a clear departure from the rat race I had been accustomed to. The Mombasa office forced me to slow down. And when I say forced, I don’t say it lightly. I could not rush clients through their explanations – well, mainly because where else was I going if not to be with them? Also, I was not going to be dashing from court to client meetings and back to court. The time was carved out neatly. I had days I would be expected to go to court, although I’m glad it ended up being listening online – a feature that came in during the pandemic times. Further, the client meetings ended up being more of history taking and savouring coming back to the profession, rather than having 20-minute brief interactions. Now I could afford to have a meeting for almost an hour, without feeling like I was eating into another client’s time. This felt like walking on tarmac all day in heels, to walking barefoot on the sand. Wait…it actually was.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of coming back home was the people. I’d been in Nairobi for the better part of 2 decades, with travel across the continent and outside in between. The culture of Mombasa’s people’s kindness, warmth and respect was something I had greatly missed. I could not remember the last time I had sat down with a client and spoken to them as if I was speaking to a long lost relative, or better still, a close family member. The closeness with which each file was handled brought me immense joy. Not to say that the Nairobi office was not filled with all this; it just ‘hit different’ being back home and practicing what I had set out to do. I had dreamt of being a lawyer when I was but a child in this town – it was only fitting I came back here to actually realise this dream. There was something to be said for moving across countries, continents and coming back full circle to the town that had birthed and raised me.
My colleagues could not understand why I was so happy – at times, neither could I. Being from one of the smaller sub tribes of the Mijikenda – Kauma – was already something I carried with me everywhere I went. Explaining my heritage and lineage would become frustrating at times. We are not widely known outside Mombasa, or the Coastal region. Coming back to Mombasa automatically meant that I did not need to explain myself anymore. My name, which was a source of jokes all my life, was once again recognised and respected. My whole being, from the office to the house, was finally fully alive. I could not articulate how elated I was to be given the chance to come and work here by Allan and Felicia, neither could I fully grasp how much this move would change my entire outlook on the legal profession as a whole. I saw the gaps and inadequacies my people faced and continue to face even as I write this. I did not need to have a translator or interpreter to understand the clients who spoke in their mother tongue; because it was mine as well. My confidence grew tenfold; even as I stumbled through relearning what I had been taught in KSL, it was all worth it. All of it.
I had come home. And with the backing and support of MMS Advocates, the Ocean girl had finally returned to her roots.
Kasichana Riziki Mumba is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, and an associate at MMS Advocates LLP. She is passionate about the rule of law, justice and creatively combining the world of artivism (art and activism), nature and ESG into her work.
