Turkana county banks of legal awareness to help communities resolve disputes

Turkana government plans to carry out a free legal sensitisation to help communities resolve conflicts.

County Secretary Ruth Emanikor wants residents to continuously learn about the law to strengthen their understanding.

Emanikor spoke during the legal awareness week held in Lodwar which, was jointly organised by the Judiciary and the Law Society of Kenya.

She said the cross-cutting nature of law requires residents to acquire general knowledge of how legal principles influence everyday life.

“The law applies to land matters, child custody and maintenance, property management, inheritance, marital relationships and all aspects of life,” Emanikor said.

She said the awareness creation exercise seeks to sensitise all residents but every individual has an obligation to continuously seek more information on issues affecting them.

Emanikor said the initiative is a major step towards community empowerment.

Residents who benefited from the initiative were asked to share knowledge gained with friends and relatives.

 “Most disputes in Turkana, especially those involving land and child custody arise from ignorance of the law. We want our people to get the right legal information from credible sources such as lawyers, judicial officers and the county attorney’s office,” she said.

During the sensitization, residents had one on one consultations with lawyers on pressing matters.

Judiciary officer Fredrick Kipkosgei, attached to the

Lodwar law courts officer Fredrick Kipkosgei said lack of legal awareness undermines realisation of Article 59 of the constitution, which provides for the right of access to justice.

“Sensitising the public on the provisions of the law is a shared duty that helps bridge the awareness gap and promote access to justice,” he said.

The Law Society of Kenya Turkana chapter chairperson Daniel Ondabu also welcomed the initiative, saying legal sensitisation could reduce unnecessary backlogs by encouraging alternative dispute resolution.

“When communities are empowered with legal knowledge, they can resolve issues at an early stage. As local practitioners, we remain open to offer mentorship and guidance to ensure people take the right course of action in legal matters,” he said.

Residents who attended the sessions appreciated the initiative. Wilson Lokoel, a resident of Kanamkemer, said the sensitization equipped him with knowledge to navigate land disputes and understand the legal process.