Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced a collaborative initiative with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) aimed at addressing the issue of pending legal bills.
In a statement made on Wednesday, August 28, Sakaja said this initiative would create employment opportunities for 46 lawyers who will be stationed at City Hall.
These lawyers will be on fixed salaries to provide legal services for the county, in a move intended to reduce unnecessary and inflated legal fees.
Speaking during a meeting with the Council Members of the LSK Nairobi Branch at City Hall, Sakaja highlighted the importance of LSK members’ expertise in shaping the legal framework for public-private partnerships.
He said that this is particularly relevant because of the upcoming upgrade of the City Court’s ICT infrastructure.
“We have a plan to enhance the ICT infrastructure at our City Court to achieve significant milestones in the delivery of justice,” Governor Sakaja stated
“This will ensure that minor cases are resolved swiftly, providing timely justice without unnecessary delays,” he added.
Also Read: Sakaja Under Fire Over Ksh10.7 Billion Arrears Owed to 11 Lawyers
Sakaja Inks Deal with LSK to Improve Legal Services in Nairobi
The discussion also focused on various ways the Nairobi County government and the LSK can work together to improve legal services for the residents of Nairobi.
The LSK Nairobi Branch, led by Chairman Eric Kivuva suggested several potential collaborative efforts such as developing specialized training programs, participation in Legal Aid initiatives, involvement in the legislative process, and partnering during the Annual LSK Conference and other society activities.
Also, during the meeting, governor Sakaja took the opportunity to congratulate Mr. Kivuva along with all the newly elected LSK Council Members, who he said will lead the branch for the next two years.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions, laying the groundwork for a strong working relationship in the provision of legal services.
Additionally, the LSK council members expressed their appreciation for the rates waiver granted by the Nairobi City County government, recognizing it as a major boost to their operations.
Sakaja Vows Not to Pay Ksh10 billion Legal Pending Bills
This partnership comes months after Governor Sakaja said in April that the county government would not pay legal pending bills that run into Sh10 billion.
Sakaja said when he got into office, he found a huge pending bill in Nairobi, with outstanding liabilities close to Ksh 100 billion, out of which Sh21 billion were legal fees owed to different lawyers.
Also Read: LSK Issues Ultimatum on Road Maintenance Levy Hike
“Some of the claims which have been pending for years are questionable and paying them would grind crucial services that the county is offering to a halt,” Sakaja said.
“‘Ksh21 billion is higher than our equitable share. It is twice our own-source revenue. Many of them are suspicious,” he added.
Speaking before the Senate public accounts committee Sakaja suggested that going forward, county governments should hire internal lawyers and put them on a retainer, to avoid such dilemmas.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
