Danstan Omari is a prominent Kenyan lawyer and lecturer. He started his career as an untrained teacher and rose through the ranks to become one of the most sought after lawyers in the country.
He has represented President William Ruto, former Chief Justice David Maraga, politicians and was lawyer to the late Tob Cohen (he is still representing his family in the succession case and the murder trial).
He has become a household name for representing women dumped with their ‘baby daddies’.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Danstan Omari Age
Danstan Omari was born on 6th December 1964 to the late father Elkana Mogaka and late mother Milka Kemunto Mogaka. He was born in Nyabite village, Nyamira county.
Danstan Omari Education
The prominent lawyer attended Nyamira Primary School managing to score 19 out of 36 points in the national examination. He then joined Ruiru Secondary School in 1978 and scored Division 3 in the national examination.
He repeated and joined Kiabonyoru High School where he studied with Interior CS Fred Matiang’i. He scored Division 2 and proceeded to Muguga High School for his A levels. He secured a place in Kenyatta University for a Bachelor of Education degree but what he really wanted was law.
“Some of my classmates, you can see them all over, having made it in life. They include Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, who was my classmate in secondary and university, Governor Sospeter Ojaamong, political analyst Herman Manyora and Planning PS Saitoti Torome,” the lawyer told the Star.
In 1990, he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education.
In 2008, he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in law and in 2009 enrolled in Kenya School of Law. After six months, he enrolled for a Master of Law degree at the University of Nairobi.
He then went to Japan for a three months study program on Juvenile Delinquency all while still studying law.
On 2nd December 2011, he graduated with a Master of Law.
Career
In 1986 while waiting to join university, he began teaching as an untrained teacher at a school in South Mugirango before going to teach at Kiabonyoru High School. In 1987, he joined National Youth Service for an intensive three months training before he finally joined university.
After university, he was posted to a school in Bomet but refused to go. He asked for a transfer but was threatened with interdiction which he chose.
He then went back to teach under the board at Kiabonyoru High School where he stayed until he was reinstated by the TSC in 1992. He was then stationed at Kiabonyoru as a graduate teacher until 1994 when he was promoted to deputy head teacher. He was then interdicted on grounds of causing students to strike.
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Mr. Omari then traveled to Nairobi and was able to secure a job in Nyeri as a hotel manager after answering a newspaper job advertisement. He worked for six months before securing a job as a manager of a club in Nairobi.
After four years, he won the TSC interdiction case and was paid all the money he didn’t earn in the four years he was suspended from service. With the money, he bought four matatus and was then posted as a teacher in South Mugirango. He was later transferred to Muthurwa Secondary School.
In 2004, he applied to do law at the University of Nairobi and used nearly all his money to pay fees for a year. His wife also stepped in to help with his fees.
The Directorate of children services advertised for a job for a children’s officer which he applied for and got it. He was posted to Kirinyaga which forces him to drive to school everyday.
On 4th November 2011, he was admitted as an advocate. He then resigned as a children’s officer and joined Musyoki Mogaka and Company Advocates. The lawyer then gets employed as a lecturer of law at Catholic University, a job he holds to date. At the university, he teaches jurisprudence, criminal law, professional ethics and trial and rights of a child.
Foundation
The UoN alumni runs two Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), one is called Sheria Mtaani and the other for baby daddies. The former offers legal services for free to young delinquents while the latter offers legal services to mothers whose baby daddies have refused to pay child support.
Danstan Omari Marriage
The lawyer is married to Pamela. He met her just as she was set to join Kenyatta University as she lived near Kiabonyoru High School. Except for her first semester school fees, he paid for her university fees both as she undertook a Bachelor’s and a Masters degree. She is currently pursuing a PhD and is a lecturer at Catholic University.
Pamela has also been supportive of him and also helped pay his school fees as he was pursuing law. The couple has two children, all boys.
