By R, KNA
Residents of Gisambai in Hamisi Sub-County on Tuesday benefited from free legal services offered by The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) in partnership with Maseno University School of Law.
During the event dubbed legal aid forum held at Gisambai Friends Church, TISA Executive Director, Diana Gichengo, said the exercise aimed at helping residents address cases related to land disputes, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), sexual harassment and rape.
She noted that many families still resort to solving such cases informally through kangaroo courts instead of reporting such matters to relevant authorities.
Gichengo urged the residents to make use of available channels to air their concerns to leaders rather than waiting for decisions to be made on their behalf.
A representative from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Cosmas Kilambyo, took participants through key court procedures, including understanding statements recorded by police when reporting cases.
He stressed that SGBV matters are serious and should be handled within the confines of the law to ensure offenders are prosecuted accordingly.
Hamisi Deputy County Commissioner, Ruth Lorete, highlighted several community concerns that she said require urgent attention. She cited rising cases of livestock theft in Vihiga and called on residents to uphold the law.
Lorete also urged parents and religious leaders to take a more active role in guiding children to help prevent cases of incest and other harmful practices.
On her part, Vihiga High Court Judge, Lady Justice Jacqueline Kamau, raised concern over the increasing number of defilement cases in the county, noting that nearly 90 per cent of the victims are minors.
She emphasized the need for residents to condemn the use of force in sexual acts and called for more support to be extended to survivors of rape and SGBV instead of subjecting them to stigma.
A team of lawyers drawn from TISA was also present and offered one-on-one legal consultations to residents throughout the forum.
The event coincided with the start of the 2025, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, marked globally from November 25 to December 10 under the theme “Ending Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.”
The campaign seeks to raise awareness and promote stronger measures to curb gender-based violence, including emerging threats in online spaces.
Speaking during the event, Mr Geoge Ouma a student at Maseno university school of Law said they have always worked closely with TISA to address issues affecting the community.
He noted that addressing real legal issues helps students learn practically and encouraged residents to take advantage of such camps to benefit from free legal advice.
