LASPNET HOSTS NEW UGANDA LAW SOCIETY COUNCIL
- 04 May 2018 -
- Written by Laspnet
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The new Uganda Law Society Executive Council led by the President, Mr. Simon Peter Kinobe paid a courtesy visit to LASPNET to discuss possible areas of partnership in order to enhance the rule of law and legal aid accessibility.
The meeting which was held on 24th April 2018 at the LASPNET Secretariat saw both teams deliberating on a number of issues ranging from corruption in the judiciary; advocacy for the enactment of the National Legal Aid Policy and Law; and the Administration of Justice Bill; to improving the pro-bono scheme; as well as engaging universities to promote Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms among upcoming advocates.
Mr. Samuel Herbert Nsubuga, the LASPNET Board Chairperson congratulated the new council upon their election. He remarked that the meeting would lay strategies on how to take forward the existing partnership created by the outgoing ULS council under the Coalition on the Independence of the Judiciary (CIJI. He applauded the ULS President and his team for the visit and pledged LASPNET’s support during their tenure.
Through his slogan Building Bridges for the betterment of society, Mr. Kinobe called on advocates to provide meaningful services to the neediest. He further shared that the council had met with the Attorney General to discuss the national legal aid policy and they were assured that it was a government priority. The President therefore called for the need to push for its passing because it is a basic human right. “Justice is pertinent and core to the existence of humans. The need for legal aid has never been more eminent than it is now”, he stressed. He also shared the toll-free helplines 0800100150 and 0800100151 through which the public can report errant advocates, cases of torture, violations and abuse of the rule of law and impunity.
Ms. Pheona Wall, the ULS Vice President urged legal aid lawyers to get involved in ULS events and also utilize the free trainings which can fetch them up to 40 CLE’s. She further communicated on the waiver for subscription fees arrears for lawyers subscribed to ULS for a period of three months till June 2018.
Ms. Sylvia Namubiru Mukasa, the LASPNET Executive Director summed up the discussing by sharing the proposal to have a Memorandum of Understanding with the ULS Councilon areas including; legal rapid response, capacity building and the upcoming LASPNET call center where lawyers provide a few hours of legal advice and referrals, among others.
