Tanzania’s fast-growing economy is attracting foreign investment and diasporic return. Business law experts Keith Mukami and Shemane Amin talked to Africa Legal’s Craig Sisterson about heading home and raising the bar for legal service.
A long-term desire to return home, increasing cross-border work involving East Africa, and growing economic development in Tanzania has inspired leading international commercial lawyer Keith Mukami to join the ALN Tanzania partnership.
“A&K Tanzania is a special firm in East Africa, with a reputation for quality and delivery of legal advice of the highest order,” noted Mukami who, for the past decade, led African focused commercial practices at large international firms. “Working from South Africa and London, I’ve always been really impressed by the firm’s dedication to quality and ensuring legal advice is delivered to international best standards,” he commented.
Dual-qualified in England and Tanzania, Mukami understands the local market nuances and is excited about returning to his birthplace and helping clients seize opportunities as investment levels grow rapidly in Tanzania and across East Africa.
Similarly, fellow partner Shemane Amin began her legal career in Boston and New York and is dual-qualified in Massachusetts and Tanzania. She returned to her home in Tanzania a decade ago, and says Mukami is a “fantastic fit” for what the ALN alliance stands for.
“We have a practice-driven approach, and when we assign staff to client matters we ensure it’s the best talent and right fit for the job, irrespective of geography,” she explained. “As ALN, what we really stand for is nurturing and delivering African excellence. Keith joining us very much embodies that.”
For Amin, the return to Tanzania of internationally qualified and experienced lawyers such as Mukami and herself demonstrates the transitions and evolution underway.
“Not only are we seeing an increase in foreign direct investment, but we’re also seeing a return of diaspora talent. It really is a privilege to be back in our home country, at the helm of these major transformative changes taking place, and raising the bar in terms of the quality of services we can provide,” she shared.
Tanzania is their home, say Mukami and Amin, so they understand local market nuances in a different way to others who have moved there, or international counsel not based there.
Mukami’s main focus at ALN Tanzania will be on key commercial transactions occurring in Tanzania and across East Africa, lending his experience to support clients with M&A and financing. He shared that he’s driven by a passion for justice and the important role legal systems play in bringing order and justice to social environments, something that was sparked by a summer internship with his uncle’s firm in Dar es Salaam while he was studying in England.
“I have always been excited about the developmental role played by commercial, and in particular financial, markets in the fair and efficient distribution of capital as we continue to develop East Africa generally. I believe lawyers have a tremendous opportunity to help shape the future of the continent in this regard,” Mukami explained.
“A lot of the commercial work we do plays a key role in the development of our continent,” he concluded.
With a focus on commercial transactions, Mukami brings a fresh perspective to the table. As Tanzania continues to grow and seize new opportunities, his presence in the legal landscape will help shape the future of business in the region.
This article was first published by Africa Legal.
