The Law Society of Kenya Chapter in Kiambu County on Monday launched its annual legal awareness week.
The awareness campaign is held every October and is free for the public to attend and consult with advocates and lawyers on any legal matters they may have.
Speaking at the launch, the Chairperson of the Kiambu chapter Jane Odiya said that the campaign is necessary as it assists the residents get legal information and also advise.
“This is a golden opportunity for citizens to speak to an advocate for queries or pending matters in court,” she said.
She noted that another advantage of attending the awareness week is case reviewing, where advocates will look at one’s case and see whether it is running smoothly and make suggestions if it is not.
“We want to see whether you have an advocate handling your case and if they are doing things properly,” she said.
She cited matters related to land, criminal cases and succession issues as some of the key issues in court in Kiambu.
In certain cases, Odiya added that the court has been encouraging the use of alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation to handle matters.
“Through the utilization of local leadership figures such as the area police and religious institutions, citizens can use the mediation method to handle some of their issues in amicable ways,” she said.
Odiya highlighted the importance of spreading awareness of this particular event, its value to the community and the value given by the advocates.
“We have a chance to share with the people. We are here all week and we are here for you,” she told residents who had attended the launch.
Senior Principal Magistrate Sambu Kibet expressed his gratitude to Kiambu residents for attending the launch and encouraged them to participate in the process during the week to benefit from the advice.
Representing the OCS of Kiambu township, Inspector James Kosgei encouraged the public to feel free to express their concerns to the police service in the town.
“We as the police service are here to protect and serve the interests of the people. We are ready to help in any way we can as leaders in the community alongside the courts,” he said.
Some of the residents who were in attendance expressed their joy with the courts for making the awareness week possible.
Lucy Wangui was particularly moved by the opportunity to share her case with the advocates saying she would be able to find closure and know how to move forward.
“It is a blessing to see that these lawyers are listening to my issues and I would encourage other residents in Kiambu who might be in doubt and do not know how to go about their cases to come be given legal advice,” Wangui said.
The legal awareness week’s theme is “Kenya’s electoral reforms: building confidence for the future”. It is the first awareness week held after elections and runs from the 24th of October to the 28th of October.
By Cedric Karungaru
