Professor Migai Akech's inaugural lecture titled "Taming the Tyranny of the Barons: Administrative Law and the Regulation of Power" delved into a fundamental concern that has animated him since childhood: the routine and aggravating displays of power abuses that permeate our daily lives, both in private and public realms. From arbitrariness and condescension to corruption and violence, these manifestations of tyranny erode the very liberties and livelihoods we seek to protect through our societal institutions.
During the lecture, Professor Akech addressed the central question of how to safeguard our right to self-rule and prevent the abuse of power, even within systems designed to uphold our freedoms. He argued that those wielding power over others have a democratic obligation to involve those affected by their decisions in the governance process and to be accountable for their actions.
Professor Akech challenged the conventional view that tyranny is primarily a governance issue at the state level, emphasizing how the microcosms of power within smaller governance units—what he terms "bureaucratic barons"—significantly contribute to systemic tyranny. These smaller units, often controlled by bureaucrats, operate with autocratic cultures that undermine democratic principles.
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