Top Kenyan judge waives wig rule for lawyers

Kenya's chief justice has waived a requirement for lawyers being admitted to the bar to wear traditional ceremonial wigs, because of supply issues.

Lawyers and judges in Kenya and several other African countries still wear the traditional curled white wigs on formal occasions, which are a legacy of British colonialism.

Chief Justice Martha Koome said on Wednesday that the high number of lawyers being admitted as advocates of the high court had made it difficult for them to get the wigs.

“Having been notified of the difficulty on securing periwigs due to the high number of petitioners, I hereby waive this requirement for this particular ceremony,” she said in a statement.

She said however that those wishing to wear the attire could still do so.

More than 700 lawyers are due to be admitted to the bar in a ceremony to be presided by the chief justice on Friday.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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