If you only listen to the words spoken by Christine Jackie Nkonge, all you hear is the voice she makes, the voice of self-confidence, divorced from all guesswork and conjecture, simple and concise, which she delivers like a monk meditating on a mountain. . The phrase “wise beyond her years” has been uttered for moments like these, for people like her.
But if you interrogate further, if you listen to what is not said, you will hear the colors and understand that perhaps Christine is afraid she is running out of time. “After I leave the battalion, will I still have the energy to pursue the things I put off?”
Maybe it's not that she's running out of time, but rather that time is catching up with her. It's always been like this: One day you're the best, the next you're a feather duster. This is the law of the universe.
As CEO of the Kateba Institute, she knows a thing or two about the law. How he flirted with her. How I fell in love with her. Now what next? But any novel whose events revolve around her life is not just an interpretation, but rather an imposed action. She's smart, yes, and that makes it easier. But that doesn't make it easy.
Based on what you know now, is it easier to bend the law similar to tax evasion and tax evasion?
(Chuckles) This is not even ethical, neither from my job at the Battalion Institute nor from my career in law. We guarantee full compliance with the law, and we cannot break what we are trying to enforce, haha.
What legal aspect are you facing?
Leadership and integrity are separated, mostly because in terms of compliance this is citizen-led. Since Parliament is elected by the people, and parliamentarians tend not to adhere to this separation, enforcing and implementing the Constitution becomes more difficult.
Are laws made for the people or do the people determine the laws for them?
both of them. We are in a democracy, and because the majority elects certain people, people must vote on the basis that the people they elect to power share the same principles and ideologies, which is like a mirror. It is a way by the people themselves to make the law, but sometimes the law does not favor the majority but brings law and order in the society. We give power to certain people and these people in turn protect us through laws, policies and taxes. Sometimes the law is made by the magnate, sometimes by the people.
Were you a rule follower as a child?
Yes. Haha. I have never gotten in trouble at school for any type of misbehavior.
What do you miss most about your childhood?
Freedom to make mistakes and experiment without being judged harshly by adults. I can make a mistake and recover, and that always helps people feel adventurous and curious and able to define their personalities more quickly and more deeply with that kind of freedom.
What was your nickname when you grew up?
What has not changed in Kiki since childhood?
Meh. I'm still an easy going and fun person. What changed is that I had to tone down my sense of adventure based on the different roles I played, a little more conservative in my views, and from different points of view.
Some might say that the older a person gets, the more he sheds constraints and embraces the freedom that only old age can give…
I think my generation, people born in the 1980s, was the last decade of innocence because we grew up without a lot of technological advancement that doesn't hinder your sense of organic growth. One must be very aware of the different audiences one is speaking to because there are now ways in which information can be manipulated.
What does the 80s kiki say to the kiki now?
Kiki would tell this younger one to always be curious because it helps you discover new things and see things from different perspectives. I would tell her that you'll never know until you try. Just try.
But what will Kiki tell you now?
It's not that serious at all haha! The older you get, the more you realize that you don't have an infinite amount of time, you just have to chart your path and face your challenges through your lens.
Christine Jackie Nkonge, CEO of Katiba Institute.
Image credit: politeness
What's the one thing you've wanted to try but keep putting off?
long vacation. I was working straight out of college, and didn't take any time off from high-stress jobs for many years. Not even an academic vacation, but somewhere where I can relax and discover who I am at this stage of life.
What's the one place you want to go?
I've always wanted to go to Asia, but I'm not sure which part. Just because it's a completely different culture, and this is a continent I haven't been to yet. I want to experience a culture of meditation, self-awareness, and cutting-edge self-care.
What does Asia say about you?
Should make a statement, haha! And since I'm taking my time off, it's an opportunity for self-discovery because at this point in my life and career, Asia is more in line with who I am now and how I feel now.
You come across as someone who pushes boundaries, what is she running away from – or rather, chasing?
That's an interesting way to put it, but if you were born in the 1980s, what was expected of us was that we needed to work and succeed. I adapted this attitude, so I didn't really run but simply meet societal expectations. But I happened to fall into a job that I love, and I think I'm lucky, as my history teacher inspired me. I just want to make a difference in people's lives through law.
What's the most boring part about being you?
Being a lawyer is very repetitive. Only occasionally will you get a new case that will be exciting – otherwise it will be the usual absurdity, reading the same text, laws and procedures.
So how do you stay spontaneous?
I try to have a diverse group of friends who can talk about different things like interior design, art, poetry, farming, organic farming, etc. This takes my mind off the kind of human rights work we do, in which we live almost indirectly through others.
What does a weekend look like for your ideal boyfriend?
It starts in the late afternoon, around 3pm for a late lunch, and then we decide if this is a weekend where we can get together, cook and wine; Or the weekend we meet in the park and play some games. I don't do strenuous activities like hiking.
What special treat do you give just for yourself?
Buy books. If I feel like I've done a good job, I'll either buy myself a nice perfume or a book.
What book did you read that changed your perspective?
Because I lean toward leading an organization, my books lean toward increasing leadership skills. The last book I read was from a friend of mine which opened my eyes to something you find in Kenyan society where many lawyers are parliamentarians and politicians – and how they are part of the problem especially when they are in leadership positions. The book is titled “Lawyers as Leaders” and is written by Deborah Rudd.
As a leader, when can you turn off your mind and just be present?
Stop. When I am a girl at my mother's house. When I'm at home, we don't do legal stuff, we just discuss family and community issues.
Were you closer to your mother or father?
I am my father's daughter; I have a personality closer to my father than my mother. But I'm a good friend of my mom's too.
What does your father say about you?
When he was still around, and as you grew into your childhood, you became more of a friend of your parents than a child. We treated my parents as friends, dealing with football, society, investments and politics.
What would you change about the way you were raised?
Mmmm. I wasn't raised in a traditional African way, and that's what made me quite liberal. There were no gender boundaries, we did the same tasks and learned the same things. I was raised in a way that didn't restrict my views, maybe I would change not going to a same sex boarding school because it helps with not having views that are skewed in certain ways.
What is your biggest insecurity right now?
I am going through a change, and I am about to graduate from Kateba Institute. I'm charting my own path, and I feel like the time and energy allow me to do a lot of things. There is an energy that comes with youth, and time is an insecurity, how do I define the second phase of my career, and will I have the energy to be able to do it the same way I did in the first phase full of energy and passion.
What do you thank yourself for?
Being kind to myself. Even though I make mistakes, I'm not too hard on myself and realize that I'm human and move on. Failure is a part of life – you can have moments full of energy, passion and determination but also moments of lethargy, questioning yourself and being unproductive. This balance helps me stabilize.
What do you apologize to yourself for?
Let me think about that a little. (thinks a lot) Not traveling more when I was younger or doing more socially motivated activities, because I tend to be a bit of an introvert. Maybe you are less introverted and explore nature and events with young people by your side.
Have you forgiven yourself?
Yes, I know I sound old but I'm not haha! Maybe with this vacation, I'll be able to do the things I didn't have time to do.
What is the simplest pleasure in life?
Good bottle of wine and good food. These go together, don't they?
they must. what is your favourite meal?
I love a good soup. When you make a good broth, whether meat or plant-based, a good broth is very comforting.
What is the one law that governs your life?
Treat others as you would like to be treated. He helped me in my dealings and leadership of the Battalion Institute. I treat everyone the same, your office assistant is just as valuable as the Chairman of the Board. You view yourself as part of a whole, and you need that part to function optimally as the whole.