The Attorney General of the Republic of Kenya, Hon. JB Muturi
Your Excellency Henriette Geiger Ambassador and Head of Delegation, European Union in Kenya
The Solicitor General of the Republic of Kenya, Hon. Shadrack Mose
Heads of Departments from the Office of the Attorney General
Members of NLAS Board,
The Acting Director of NLAS and NLAS Staff present,
Representatives from UNODC, UNDP, Amkeni WaKenya and PLEAD 2 Grantees
The Team Leader for the Technical Assistance to PLEAD 1,
All distinguished guests present,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good morning.
I am honored to give this vote of thanks on behalf of the National Legal Aid Service (NLAS) Board. I am glad to report that NLAS Board is now fully constituted. Before I proceed kindly allow me to quickly introduce our Directors;
- Director Robert Kibor the Vice Chair representing the ministry of interior
- Dr. Vincent Mutai representing the Law Society of Kenya
- Director Elijah Kandie representing Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
- Director Eric Ngondi representing the National Councils for Persons with Disabilities
- Dr. Annette Mbogoh representing Public Benefit Organizations, and also serving as the ED of Kituo Cha Sheria
- Director Damaris Onsomu representing the National Treasury
- Director Angela Okallo representing the Director of Public Prosecution
Courtesy of the EU funding under PLEAD, this Board was taken through a weeklong induction course conducted by the Kenya School of Government, and I can assure you that we are prepared for the work we are expected to lead. For this I wish to thank the EU and the GOK for the co-operation that is helping in building capacity for NLAS.
Your Excellency,
Besides the Board NLAS has an able and competent Secretariat which is supporting its work in line with the Legal Aid Act. As we prepare to transition to a fully independent entity, the Honorable Attorney General has allocated NLAS a pool of able and passionate staff. We are in the process of delinking NLAS and establishing it as an independent body, and the Honorable Solicitor General is giving us the support we need. Among other things, we now have office space in the 7 marginalised focal Counties supported by PLEAD where we will be deploying these vehicles, equipment and office furniture all supported by the European Union. At this juncture allow me to introduce the NLAS Secretariat team led by the Acting Director here present, Madam Fresiah Githumbi. All NLAS staff and interns, kindly stand. The Board thanks you for your commitment to NLAS work and for putting to good use the support under PLEAD.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I also wish to thank the EU for their thoughtful programming of PLEAD 1 in which they correctly understood the need for NLAS to have a permanent Technical Assistant to be working with the Board, and daily with the Secretariat. The current Board’s tenure coincided with the coming in of a new Team Leader at a time when our work was clogged with numerous bottlenecks despite the palpable goodwill around access to justice work. Your support to NLAS through the services of the Team Leader is greatly appreciated and the Board hopes that as you consider the request that we will be putting to extend the implementation period of PLEAD, you will also support us with the continued presence of such an experienced person. He heads the Programme Management Facilitation Unit and has a very supportive team that is well coordinated and makes events like this very easy for NLAS. May I call upon Orison Chaponda and his team to stand.
This team is working tirelessly to support the Imprest Administrator Mr. Samuel Mugambi whom I wish to recognize too for his tireless efforts to make this programme come back to life and achieve all its intended purposes. Mr. Mugambi, the Chief Finance Officer at the Office of the Attorney General is supported by Mr. Kaggo as Alternative Imprest Administrator and the Acting C,E,O as the Imprest Accounting Officer for the programme estimate funds.
Thank you, Your Excellency for the money KES290 million that was allocated to NLAS under the PLEAD 1 project, of which KES51 million has gone into the procurement of these 12 vehicles. The EU has supported NLAS even before it existed when it funded National Legal Aid & Awareness Progromme (NALEAP). As Board members, we hope and look forward to continuing this good relationship in the coming months and years. As indicated in the previous statements the Honourable Attorney General, this Board has gained traction and PLEAD momentum is now at a very commendable pace. We are beginning to reap the full results of this cooperation agreement despite the past delays. As we implement the PLEAD 1 project, we are keen to partner and work closely with UNDP, UNODC and the PLEAD II grantees who I want to believe there are present today, to ensure a well-coordinated and enhanced delivery of justice to Wanjiku. We reiterate the sentiments of the Honourable Attorney-General: may the GOK and EU teams review the remaining implementation period and available resources under the Financing Agreement and explore ways how NLAS can use them to the maximum, as was envisaged under the Contract. This Board is ready and willing to support the full utilization of all the funding so that more women, more children, more persons with disabilities and more marginalised persons access quality justice in a timely manner.
Your Excellency,
NLAS with the support of OAG&DOJ is in the process of decentralizing it services in the additional 7 countiesin Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, Tana River, Mandera and Wajir by the end of this month. The opening of these offices will also be used to celebrate the PLEAD investments in NLAS including the Strategic Plan, the website and mobile App, the Legal Aid Fund and various training modules currently being finalised with the full support of the European Union.
Thank you for making NLAS stand tall. We can now see far because we are standing on the shoulders of giants who are passionate about access to justice work. On our part, we commit to do our part and put to good use these investments. Before we flag-off the vehicles, allow me on behalf of NLAS fraternity to hand over these gifts to our 3 Guests of Honour, starting with the Attorney General, your Excellency and the Solicitor General.
Allow me now to call upon the Honorable Attorney General, your Excellency and the Solicitor General to flag off the 12 vehicles.
I thank you for your kind attention and your presence at this event.
May God bless the work of NLAS and all its partners.