Free legal aid for the poor would be a transformational step

In an announcement which did not quite get the publicity it deserved, the new Chief Registrar of the High Court, Ms Anne Amadi spoke of plans being at an advanced stage to enable the poor of this country to have easy access to free legal services. This was in reference to the Legal Aid Bill 2013, which will among other things, create an independent body to help the poor get free legal representation, as and when they need it. It is common knowledge that Kenya is a country in which only those who belong to the middle class (and above) can afford legal representation; and thus only they can...