MUNYONYO: President\r\nYoweri Museveni has committed government’s continued support for the enactment\r\nof a law to support the provision of free legal services to Ugandans.
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He\r\nsaid the law on legal aid is in the works. "…That is why I committed Government\r\nin 2014 to enacting a law on Legal Aid and I would like to assure Ugandans that\r\nin due course a Legal Aid Bill will be introduced in Parliament,” he said.
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"The\r\nproposal for a National Legal Aid Scheme is very welcome and is part of the NRM\r\nGovernment’s cherished desires to restore the rule of law in Uganda…the scheme\r\nwill buttress our efforts to promote sustainable development, prosperity and\r\nenduring peace.”
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The\r\npresident made the remarks on August 10 while officiating at the opening of the\r\n3rd National Legal Aid Conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo in\r\nKampala – an occasion that set the\r\nstage for free legal services to the poor.
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Annually,\r\nLegal Aid Service Provider’s Network (LASPNET)\r\nwith support from the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) and the Justice Law\r\nand Order Sector (JLOS), Justice Centres Uganda and other non-state actors hold\r\na conference to discuss Legal Aid service provision in Uganda and to track its\r\nprogress. The theme of this year’s Conference was "Sustainable Funding and Legal Aid Service Delivery by the State”.
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President\r\nMuseveni commended the Justice Law and Order Sector’s efforts in spearheading\r\nefforts to prioritize the ordinary and vulnerable people who go to courts in search of justice.
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He however\r\nsaid, it would be a futile outreach if justice delivery remains slow,\r\nurban-based and limited to court rooms.
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Mr.\r\nMuseveni commended the Hon. Chief Justice, Bart Katureebe’s initiative that\r\nseeks public feedback on the services offered by the courts.
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In\r\nhis remarks, Hon. Justice Katureebe, said the theme of the conference was derived as a\r\nresponse to the need to address the need to address delays and injustice in the\r\nadministration of justice.
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He\r\nsaid: "On average, cases take too long to resolve, resulting in the\r\nadministration of justice…the common person needs empowerment to benefit from\r\nthe justice system”.
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He\r\nsaid the establishment of a holistic legal aid system in Uganda is long overdue\r\nand requires support from the government.
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The Conference, according to the Justice and Constitutional Affairs\r\nMinister, Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana,\r\nwas to create awareness about the on-going efforts to establish a Policy, Law\r\nand National Institution on Legal Aid.
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Legal Aid is the provision of free legal services to the poor,\r\nvulnerable and marginalized people who cannot afford the services of paid\r\nlawyers.
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While revealing the essence of the provision of legal aid,\r\nRukutana said, "Article 21 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda provides for\r\nEquality before the Law. To ensure equality of all persons before the Law and\r\nto enhance access to Justice therefore the provision of Legal Aid is critical,”\r\nhe said.
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JLOS with support from the DGF and in consultation with other\r\nstate and non-state actors developed the National Legal Aid Policy which is\r\ncurrently before cabinet for approval.
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After approval, the National Legal Aid Bill will be tabled\r\nbefore Parliament and passing of this law will result in the establishment of a\r\nNational Body with a mandate to provide Legal Aid across all areas of the Law.
Posted 12th, August 2015
