The National Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Alternative Justice Systems Policy (NaSCI-AJS) on 26th June 2023 convened the 2nd Annual National Conference on Alternative Justice Systems in Kenya at Tangaza University College. The conference brings together justice actors, practitioners, judicial officers, academics, policy makers, civil society actors, development partners, community leaders and all stakeholders in the Access to Justice Ecosystem.
Kituo Cha Sheria on 13th Feb 2023 launched a justice center in Dadaab Garissa County in order to decentralize legal empowerment and peace-building initiatives. 25 Kituo-trained refugee paralegals from the Dadaab Refugee Camp graduated prior to the opening of the Refugees Justice Center
Kituo cha Sheria through the support of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya on 10th May 2023 donated Television screens, wide angle cameras, laptops and Bluetooth speakers to all its prison justice centres across the country to facilitate virtual training and virtual court sessions for the inmates. Kituo intends to conduct monthly virtual training on legal topics that paralegal convicts need to grasp better and provide technical support in legal matters that require the attention of an advocate.
Kituo cha Sheria Research project team conducted a series of interviews with the community members, government officials, paralegals, NGOs and local institutions to evaluate the impact of legal empowerment programmes on access to justice for the poor and marginalized.
Kituo Cha Sheria (Kituo) team led by the Executive Director, Dr. Annette Mbogoh on 18th April 2023 appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Public Petitions chaired by Hon. Nimrod Mbai (MP, Kitui East) to present a public petition regarding proposed enactment of legislation on enforced disappearances. Dr
The Global Strategic Litigation Council on 31st January 2023 convened at the University of Nairobi, School of Law, Parklands Campus, for a regional consultation on strategic litigation for refugee rights.
Exclusive legal representation is one of those necessities that the poor can only dream of, especially when confronted with serious legal issues that must be resolved in courts of law. Due to the high costs of legal services, most indigent people in Kenya are unable to have their legal needs met.
Refresher trainings for prison paralegals are important given that new legal issues keep emerging and some prison paralegals leave, and new ones join the team. Kituo conducted a 6-day refresher training for 25 inmates and 5 officers from Langata Women Maximum Security Prison and Kisumu Maximum prison from 17th – 22nd October 2022 and 5th to 10th December 2022 respectively.
The PSK held its award ceremony after the Summit one 15th December 2022. One of the objectives of the summit was to award paralegals who have fiercely promoted access to Justice.
The first-place winner of the community award service award was Michael Asao.
The second-place winner for the best prison justice men was Kamiti Maximum Prison and the third-best winner for the best overall community paralegal was Jamia Abdulrahim.
Jamia Abdulrahim being awarded as the best overal community Paralegal of the year
Best Overall Community Paralegal – Jamia Abdulrahim.
Best Community Paralegal – Ibrahim Ogeto.
Best Prison Paralegal – Maurice Bora.
Best Volunteer Advocate of The year – Anthony Mulekyo.
1St Runners Up Volunteer Advocate of The year – Dan Mulinga Mbaluka.
2nd Runners Up Volunteer Advocate of The year – Huldah Ochieng.
Post Humus Award of the year Volunteer Advocate of The year – Christine Mwikali Kipsang.
Most Promising Young Volunteer Advocate of The year – Maureen Kemunto.
Best Social Justice Centre (Community) – Nyando Social Justice Center.
Best Prison Justice Centre Men – Kamiti Maximum Prison.
Community Service Award – Michael Asao.
Best prison paralegal – Mathews Okweso
It was a great pleasure and an honor to have Carolyne Abong Senior Policy Advisor – Political Affairs, Human Rights, Rule of Law at Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya attends the Summit. Kituo appreciate our development partner Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya for their relentless support that has substantially contributed towards achievement of our strategy of strengthening access to justice for the poor and marginalized and promoting human rights.
The 2nd Paralegal Society of Kenya (PSK) summit took place from 14th to 15th December 2022 at the Tamarind tree hotel, Nairobi. The paralegal summit seeks to bring together paralegals from all parts of Kenya and East Africa to see exchange of best practices, challenges as well as possible avenues of collaboration. The 2022 theme was ‘Towards a robust and vibrant paralegal movement’.
The objectives of the summit included mobilizing paralegals to register as Paralegals Society of Kenya members, building a capacity of Paralegals so as to establish and strengthen the county fora and providing a platform for engagement between paralegals and duty-bearers in the justice sector as well as providing a platform for experience sharing among the paralegals.
Mary Airo, the National Coordinator Paralegal Society of Kenya In her remarks, appreciated the passionate work done by paralegals noting that they wholeheartedly give legal services to the communities to ensure that the poor and vulnerable access justice.
Paralegals and stakeholders during the 2nd PSK Summit held at Tamarind Tree Hotel in Nairobi Kenya.
UNDP’s Zainab pointed out that the realization of human rights and access to justice are crucial aspects of the quest for sustainable development. She also noted that without strong guarantees for access to justice particularly for the poor and vulnerable, choice and opportunity to access resources and participate in governance would remain at risk.
Justus Munyithya, the Chair of the Board of Directors, Kituo Cha Sheria in his remarks, stated that one of the critical goals of sustainable development is to ensure that no one is left behind.
“Article 48 of the constitution of Kenya, guarantees every Kenyan the right to access justice, which is yet to be fully realized due to the state’s political nature.” Said Mr. Munyithya.
Mr. Munyithya added that this right still remains out of reach for many poor and marginalized groups due to barriers to access to justice which are numerous and include the lack of political will to implement laws and policies that promote access to justice, high costs associated with the formal justice system, advocates fees, filing fees and general inadequacy of awareness of human rights.
It was a great pleasure and an honor to have Carolyne Abong Senior Policy Advisor – Political Affairs, Human Rights, Rule of Law at Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya attends the Summit. Kituo appreciate our development partner Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya for their relentless support that has substantially contributed towards achievement of our strategy of strengthening access to justice for the poor and marginalized and promoting human rights.
