The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) in partnership with the Kajiado Paralegal Center held a one-day legal aid clinic in Kajiado under the theme Gender Based Violence and Access to Justice.
During the clinic, advocates led by LSK President Faith Odhiambo provided legal aid to community members after listening to their various legal issues.
While addressing the media after the clinic, Odhiambo said that the need for the legal clinic stemmed from the various cases of femicide and Gender Based Violence reported in the county.
“As part of the work that the Gender committee at LSK does, we set up the event to ensure that we take up cases and complaints and see how LSK can intervene to ensure that members of the public in this particular area get justice arising from the several complaints that they have since tabled,” she said.
Regarding the case of a serial rapist ‘Lorgali’, who has been raping women, the elderly and children in Magadi, Kajiado West, for a while now, Odhiambo revealed that she will follow up with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to know the status of the investigations adding that they cannot allow such acts to thrive yet community members continue to suffer in silence.
During the clinic, members of the Ilkiek Onyokie community presented a petition to the LSK President calling for her intervention regarding the longstanding Kibiko land dispute.
“LSK will continue to do their best to uphold the rule of law and to support members of the public. We will take up the petition. I have committed that I will sit with the advocates and quickly review the best intervention strategies and then we will see what is the next course of action so as to see how we will support them so as to get justice,” she said.
While appreciating the advocates who offered pro bono services during the clinic, The LSK president urged more members to support legal aid initiatives as they gear up for the Legal Awareness Week from 27th to 31st October.
Irene Otto, who leads LSK’s Gender Committee said that the advocates educated the public on GBV, the types of GBV and what to do in the event that one falls victim.
She added that they have noted the matters that need urgent follow-up and they shall be following up on them.
On her part, Halima Sharif, the Chairperson of Hope Abled Differently Organization cited that GBV and femicide cases have been on the rise in Kajiado and urged the government and other stakeholders to put measures in place to ensure safety for women.
By Diana Meneto
