LEGAL AID PROJECT LAUNCHES SERVICES IN OBONGI, LEADERS LAMENT LACK OF COURTS.
BY OKIDI PATRICK
OBONGI, UGANDA: The Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society has officially rolled out free legal services in Obongi District to support vulnerable people who cannot afford lawyers.
The team, led by Mr. Turyasungura Godwin, Program Coordinator, Legal Aid Project, met district leaders on the rollout. He was accompanied by Mr. Robert Masaba, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Ms. Maria Nansukusa from the Legal Aid Project, and Ms. Hadijah Ilakut, Senior Legal Officer, Moyo Legal Aid Clinic.
District welcomes legal aid services
On the district side, the meeting was attended by District Chairperson Haji Abibu Buga Kemis , RDC Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, Obongi CPS OC Station SP Owen Owoyesiga, and several councillors.
The Legal Aid Project team informed leaders that they intend to start offering legal aid to indigent residents in the district.
Chairperson Khemis and RDC Hashaka welcomed the initiative and pledged to work with the team to reach vulnerable groups.
“We have no court, no magistrate”
However, both leaders expressed concern over the district’s justice infrastructure gap.
“Up to now Obongi does not have a Magistrate, court, RSA, prison and remand home,” Hashaka and Awadi said.
They told the Legal Aid team that the nearest court is over 70km away, making it expensive and inconvenient for ordinary people to access justice.
“It is impossible for a poor person to travel that distance. We need government to bring services closer to the people,” the leaders added.
The Legal Aid Project said it will work with local leaders and security to conduct community legal clinics, offer advice, and help residents navigate cases despite the distance to courts.
Uganda Law Society’s Legal Aid Project has started operations in Obongi. District leaders welcomed the move but decried the lack of a court, magistrate and prison, noting residents travel 70km to access justice.
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