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Lack of awareness impedes justice access, judge says

Friday, February 17th, 2023 06:30 | By
pg 3-Crime si poa chairman Wilfred Nderitu. PHOTO/PD

Despite constitutional guarantees, lack of legal awareness remains the biggest bottleneck when it comes to access to justice.

Speaking at the graduation of Sheria Mashinani paralegals, Supreme Court Judge Isaac Lenaola stated many Kenyans wrongly consider justice as an elitist and expensive, especially for those from indigent and marginalised communities.

This, he says, has seen them forgo their rights and often suffer detriments due to lack of knowledge and understating of the law.

“Even though Article 48 of the constitution guarantees the right to access to justice, while Article 59 (2) recognises the use of alternative justice systems to solve disputes, lack of legal awareness remains key to this,” he stated during the colourful ceremony held at Sarakasi Dome.

The initiative, a brainchild of Youth Safety Awareness Initiative popularly known as Crime Si Poa (CSP), under its access to justice programme saw 102 graduate work to empower communities with legal knowledge.

The advocacy aims at to empower the youth with knowledge to enable them fight against crime and promote justice. “I am glad to note that this is the gap that Sheria Mashinani and you the graduating class of Justice Warriors seek to address.

Enhanced legal awareness by communities for faster access to justice and with it the social transformation envisioned by the judiciary through multi sectoral approach and partnerships,” he stated.

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