Legal Aid Bureau recruits staff to run district offices
Legal Aid Bureau says it has reached an advanced stage in its efforts to open district offices in a bid to increase access to free legal services to all people in Malawi.
Public Relations Officer for the Bureau, Jacqueline Ngongonda said the district offices have been established and will be operational soon.
“We have so far recruited staff for districts such as Mangochi, Mulanje, Karonga, Kasungu and Nkhotakota and very soon these offices will be fully functional.
She said the development will promote justice, mainly for people in the rural areas.
“People from remote areas were failing to access legal services, and with this development, we are optimistic that these offices will increase access to free legal services for them,” Ngongonda said.
She added: “For instance people of Karonga and Chitipa had to travel all the way to Mzuzu in search for Legal Aid Bureau services. This was costly.”
Kenneth Masungwa from Group Village Headman Mwayisondola in Traditional Authority Mwakawoko commended Legal Aid Bureau for the initiative of introducing offices in the district.
He said it has been hard for people, especially in the remote areas, to access them.
Legal Aid Bureau, with support from European Union is implementing Chilungamo-Justice and accountability program that seeks to strengthen democratic governance.
The program also aims to enhance the ability of citizen’s, institutions and civil society to demand transparency and accountability from duty bearers.
Among others, the program provides awareness to ensure people living in remotest areas know the kind of assistance they can get from the Legal Aid Bureau.
Currently the Legal Aid Bureau has offices in Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba cities only
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