Office of the Attorney General in Kenya has operationalised Legal Aid Centres throughout the country to strengthen pro-bono legal representation for children who come into conflict with the law.

Attorney General Dorcas Oduor disclosed that the government has set up centres in all the 47 counties to provide free legal assistance for juvenile offenders.

Ms Oduor observed that, as the custodian of human rights and the defender of justice in the republic, children and young people who commit crimes must be supported to fully enjoy their legal rights.

She made the remarks during the Huduma Mashinani outreach programme organised by the Office of the Attorney General at Kanyateng’ Primary School in Nyakach Sub-County, Kisumu County, on Sunday.

“I have been in the criminal law space for the last 33 years. I know how children suffer in the criminal justice process,” Oduor revealed. She added, “The Office of the Attorney General is going to give free legal aid to children who are charged with an offence.”

State counsels in all the 47 counties have been directed to offer free legal aid to children in conflict with the law in a move that will uphold social justice, human rights and child protection.

This decision offers consequential choices about young people’s life trajectory, determining not only how they are tried, but also where they are incarcerated, the rehabilitation opportunities available to them and the path their lives will take after imprisonment.

“We do not want our children to be processed through the criminal justice and then they go to jail. We must give them a second chance so they can participate in the development of our country,” Oduor explained the government’s decision.

The initiative would ensure children are better informed about their legal rights, receive timely legal advice and information throughout judicial proceedings and interactions with the police, prosecution, courts and correctional services, and are empowered to make informed choices about their legal representation.

The attorney general said the government remains committed to supporting underserved communities and vulnerable groups, including orphans, women and widows who require access to letters of administration, probate and estate administration services.

“We are looking at situations where land or property is being taken away from you, without you participating. We, therefore, are going to give free legal aid for those who deserve letters of administration, probates and estate administration,” she said.

Oduor cautioned widows administering the estates of the deceased, against selling property, reminding them that they are custodians of their children’s future.

“Children often suffer at the hands of their own mothers. A widow can even disinherit her children by selling land and property while they are still young, which is wrong,” she said.

The office of the attorney general will train widows, emphasising that they are custodians of their children’s future and must safeguard their interests, while administering the estates of the deceased.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Robert Ojwang’