As the adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” While statistics and reports about human rights abuses can be effective in rallying support for a cause, it is really the power of the image that prompts people to act immediately. More and more, NGOs are depending on photojournalism, which combines a series of compelling photographs in order to get their message out to a wider audience.

In the summer of 2009, International Bridges to Justice unleashed the power of photojournalism through Ian MacLellan, a college sophomore who traveled to Kenya with student journalist Humera Jabir to document the work of the Christian Legal Aid Education and Research (CLEAR). IBJ is partnered with CLEAR Kenya through Joy Mdivo, a winner of IBJ’s JusticeMaker Contest in 2008. CLEAR used the grant from the JusticeMakers contest in order to train prisoners to become their own advocates in court.

In December of 2009, Ian won the Grand Prize in the Student category of a photo journalism contest hosted by PhotoPhilanthropy, an organization dedicated to connecting NGOs, photographers and photo enthusiasts to “tell their stories, show their work, exchange ideas, find opportunities and financial support for their efforts.” Ian’s photographs of CLEAR were chosen from 20 entrants in the Student Category. Ian also won an Honorable Mention in the same category for his photography for the Kakuma News Reflector, an independent organization that was started to provide a voice for refugees.

During the two months Ian spent in Kenya, Ian followed the staff at CLEAR’s Kisumu office as the staff provided legal aid to prisoners in a society that was rocked by Kenya’s electoral violence. He traveled to prisons with CLEAR’s staff and documented the legal education trainings, through which prisoners can become their own advocates and paralegals. In the two months he spent in Kisumu, he witnessed the inefficiency of the Kenyan prison system, where the accused are forced to wait because of the staff lacks resources to process their paperwork and appeals.

CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker Peter Onyango discussing with a client’s parents at Oyugis Court House.

Of his first visit to a prison with CLEAR, Ian admitted, “I’d never been to a prison before and I was a little intimidated.” The fact that a prisoner died suddenly during that visit made the experience even more disconcerting. However, Ian and the student journalist Humera Jabir, who worked with him in Kenya, found the trainings that CLEAR conducted particularly inspiring. According to Ian, the prisoners “had their own discussions on legal issues, their own cases and looked for their own solutions.”

A sign outside of the Oyugis Court House

Working in the prison system, Ian and Humera talked to prisoners who had been in years for decades without a completed trial. They realized the seriousness of the backlog of cases that has built up because of the lack of processing technology and general apathy to the suffering of prisoners. Despite these challenges, the prisoners listened attentively to the lectures of CLEAR advocate Peter Onyango, whom Ian describes as a skillful professor who prompted learning by asking the right questions of his students.

At the end of the two months, Ian’s experience as a photojournalist for CLEAR left an indelible impression on him. CLEAR’s national director Joy, whom Ian described as “extremely passionate about Kenya and justice”, was highly appreciative of Ian’s skills as a photojournalist. According to Joy, Ian’s photos gave her a fresh perspective on the most ordinary objects, such as the outdated typewriter that was used to create legal documents in one of the prisons. According to Joy, “It was no surprise that [Ian] won the PhotoPhilanthropy award. His level of talent, the commitment he has in his work and in the causes he pursues will only see him grow and excel.”

Students at a local Kisumu secondary school participate in law clubs organized by the CLEAR-Kisumu

Ian expressed enthusiasm about his win. He noted that while he had entered his photos in photo contests more than 20 times in the past, he had never won first prize. According to Ian, the publicity gained through PhotoPhilanthropy’s contest will help match the nonprofit organizations with donors in the future - good news for CLEAR. When asked what motivates his interest in photojournalism, Ian answered, “whatever I do, I want to make a difference and help create change.”

CLEAR Kenya staff pictured with student journalist Humera Jabir

Ian’s work in photojournalism has taken him across the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Kenya, and Uganda. Besides his avid interest in photography, Ian, a Biology and Environmental Studies major at Tufts University, is deeply passionate about the environment. He eventually hopes to work in the development field. More of his photos can be found on his website.

“Typewriter, teep, teep, teep, teep, kartha hai. Zhindagi-ki haar gahani liktha hai.”

“Typewriter, goes teep, teep, teep, teep. It writes all of lifes stories.”

- From Merchant Ivory’s 1970 Film “Bombay Talkie” as sung by Asha Bhosle and Kisore Kumar

The Typewriter at Kibos Prison. Photo by Ian MacLellan

Kibos Prison’s documentation office is as black, white, and faded as any old photograph. The light falls heavily through the barred window and the posters on the walls have begun to fade. Sketched by a prisoner, one poster quotes Nelson Mandela; “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jail…” A prison officer sits behind a pile of court records, while a prisoner, dressed in black and white stripes, works away on a worn out typewriter.

It’s the typewriter which captures my attention first. Somehow it belongs to the room; tired and heavy. While the Government of Kenya has moved to furnish prison offices with computers, Kibos has yet to acquire such technology. In fact, a computer in this room would feel rather out of place. The typewriter – donated to the prison by a local NGO, is the only machine available to the documentation office which assists over a thousand prisoners with their court proceedings.

Four hundred and fifty prisoners at Kibos are capital offenders sentenced to death row. Their only hope is to mount a successful appeal and CLEAR has been instructing prisoners on how to prepare the necessary documentation, notices of appeal, chamber summons, grounds of appeal, and affidavits. While the prisoners have become quite proficient at drafting legal documents, the task of typing it all up has proven to be the greater stumbling block.

The Documentation Office at Kibos Prison. Photo by Ian MacLellan

Each applicant is required to submit 7 copies of their application, along with copies of all previous court proceedings to the Court of Appeal within 14 days of receiving judgment. The result is a lengthy, technical, and tedious application - to be prepared within strict time constraints. Those who cannot afford an advocate draft their appeal themselves, submitting their papers to an officer to be typed on the typewriter.

While the prison staff are highly supportive, the workload is too great, and resources too few. It takes time to edit errors, to cross check records, and to type several copies. After prodding, one officer shyly confesses that it takes him 30 minutes to type each page. He has enlisted a friend to help him, but some days it is nearly impossible to submit the appeals on time.

The Prison Officer who does all the typing at at Kibos Prison. Photo by Ian MacLellan

The wheels of justice in Kenya turn very slowly, and the prisoners are no strangers to delay. But delays resulting from a prison official’s inability to prepare documents in time are particularly frustrating. Once the 14 day period has elapsed, the applicant must seek special permission from the court to hear his appeal out of time, slowing all future proceedings as a result. For those who have been sentenced to death, filing an appeal is a second chance, an opportunity to plead for leniency – and therefore, no small matter.

The weathered typewriter in Kibos Prison’s documentation office is a telling example of the systemic failures which afflict Kenya’s justice system - where even the mere task of typing can obstruct due process of law.

CLEAR Kisumu is a project of the Justice Makers Award, IBJ

A Prison Officer inside Kibos Prison. Photo by Ian MacLellan

A matatu stopped outside Lodwar to reshuffle passengers. Photo by Ian MacLellan

I can just make out the peeling yellow letters painted on the Matatu sitting next to us in traffic - We Don’t Break the Laws; We Bend Them. Matatus – old Nissan vans converted into public buses – make, break, and bend the laws on Kisumu’s streets. Notorious for their reckless driving, near accidents are a just part of the ride. And when the inevitable does occur, negotiations and a quick settlement are the accepted form of justice. Passengers sit tight, while the drivers reach a hurried agreement and get back on the road.

Matatu carwash as seen from a speeding matatu outside Oyugis. Photo by Ian MacLellan

Matatus give this city character. Conductors shout at passers-by, jump in and out of the moving vehicles, and tussle with competitors. The vans come in all colors, bright green and orange with upholstered interiors. Some are even outfitted with 30” television screens and blaring stereos. Bold statements and photographs are also an essential embellishment. Bible verses are sticker-ed up alongside oversized photos of Barack Obama and Britney Spears.

Camels strolling past a matatu outside Lodwar. Photo by Ian MacLellan

Ian and I have witnessed the construction of two new speed bumps since arriving in Kisumu, allowing pedestrians a few extra seconds to make the risky crossing. But amid the chaos there is some order. The conductor taps a fistful of change on the roof to tell the driver when to stop and go. There are numbered routes and destinations. Stroll out to the side of the road, and you are on your way in matter of minutes.

The view outside a matatu on its way to Kakuma refugee camp. Photo by Ian MacLellan

On our matatu to Oyugis courthouse we joined twenty-two people and two babies packed into a vehicle with seats for fourteen. These days, Kenyan police are cracking down on unsafe vehicles, a worthy undertaking - on our matatu back from Kakamega, the van door flew off at 80 km an hour, skidding six meters before settling down on the side of the road.

Matatu driver and conductors convene for a quick meeting to discuss what to do with the door that flew off. Photo by Ian MacLellan

We cross road blocks on nearly every outing – long wooden boards of 3” long, gnarled nails used by the police to stop vehicles for routine checks. The officers stroll up to the driver’s side and peer casually at the vehicle. They glance at Ian, the only Muzungu – white man – on board and tell him to put his seatbelt on. On these roads, matatus and police officers have a comfortable relationship. The driver promptly hands over the going rate - and the matatu is on its way.

Protestors loaded into a flatbed truck as seen from a matatu. Photo by Ian MacLellan

Matatus are perhaps the most dangerous part of our daily life, and usually the most entertaining. Drivers ride calmly on the wrong side of the road, force open new lanes, and jump off to go for a quick pee. The conductors are generally funny and friendly, with the exception of one who suffered a very real fear of swine flu. He refused to shake our hands. And a day wouldn’t be complete without at least two eager young men welcoming us to Kenya. Ian’s from America - and Kisumu is Obama’s homeland after all.

Boda Boda man as seen from a matatu outside Vihiga. Photo by Ian MacLellan

Peter Otieno Asienyo speaks at his family home in Kanyapir, Kenya - Photos by Ian MacLellan

On Tuesday, CLEAR staff visited Kanyapir, a rural settlement outside of Oyugis town. Staff interviewed Peter Otieno Asienyo, one of many Kenyans displaced by the post election violence of December last year. Asienyo described the politics of the election, the violence which followed, and the situation of IDP’s - internally displaced persons.

An estimated 350,000 people are said to have been displaced and 1,200 were killed in the violence which broke out in response to the announcement of election results which named Mwai Kibaki president. Provisions set aside by the government to support and compensate those who lost their homes and livelihoods in the post-election period have not been adequately distributed. Over a year later, many Kenyans continue to languish as the effects of the violence remain unresolved.

Remains of a building destroyed during the post-election period located outside Kisumu, Kenya 

Interview with IDP- Peter Otieno Asienyo, Kanyapir - July 07, 2009. Edited by Humera Jabir.

Where were you located at the time of the election?

I was in Naivasha during the post election violence. I went to Navaisha in February 1988. I was blessed to find a job and was able to start my own business. I used to provide scrap metals and construction building materials. I was also the chief campaigner officer for the party supporting ODM (Orange Democratic Party led by Raila Odinga) in Naivasha. Before the election, I was at our party base in Salama. I was then moved to government barracks. I was safe there, but blood is thicker then water and I needed to look for my children.

How did the violence unfold in Naivasha?

On the 27th of December, I was in Navaisha town. It was the day people started to cut off people’s necks. They were looking for Raila’s strong supporters. At around 10 PM, thirty people came to my house with pangas (machetes) and told us to lie down. I ran to save my life. I went to the house of a counselor and contacted a Major to take us to the prison camp. I traced my children and they were safe at school. One of my friends, a white man, went to the school and brought my son. My daughter remained safe at school.

I went to a prison camp at Navaisha where we were safe for a few days. We suffered a lot there. We didn’t have water. For 3 days we did not eat, drink, we could not do anything. There were a lot of people, 8-10 thousands staying at that prison camp. I have many friends that were killed. They were walking in the town and a group came and stabbed them using pangas.

Did you try to return to your home?

We went back to our homes later with prison wardens and found that everything was stolen and burnt.  I had a bicycle, a gas cooker, two sofas, a Sony radio, and a TV. My house, plot, everything was lost.  From my earnings, I bought two plots of land at 340,000 KSH in 1998. They burned everything, I have nothing now. I lost all my belongings.

Where did you go for help?

Sony Sugar, who are very good company and very good Samaritans, sent a lorry to Navaisha going back to Kisumu stadium. It was a difficult journey. There were 70 to 80 of us in the lorry. It rained heavily for most of the journey and our lorry did not have a canvass. But we were safe; we had a police officer in the lorry who escorted us.

We got home by the blessing of good Samaritans who gave us food and tea, and helped us to collect some money. We didn’t have a single cent. Those people collected us and helped us to reach home.

What assistance did you receive from the government?

I was told that I would be given 10,000 KSH in compensation but I never did. We didn’t even receive any food from the government, all the food that was brought was given to family and friends of the chief and counselors. The only food we received was from the Kenyan Red Cross, we got food from them once. I know that there was money set aside for IDP’s but the chiefs and counselors were writing the names of their relatives and friends, and the true IDP’s did not get this money.

I am an IDP, I owned land in Navaisha. We gave our report, and were promised that we would be assisted by the government with some cash and property. We never saw those things, never. I am feeling very bad because before I was not begging, but now I am begging. Before I didn’t sleep without food, and now I am sleeping without food. My children never went to a public school but now we can not afford school fees. I am feeling very bad about the government.

What action do you want the government to take now?

I want so many things. First, my property, my plots. Second, benefits for all that we have suffered. Third, I want a job - any job. I can never go back to work in Navaisha. When I think of going there it seems like I am looking into the darkness, my friends, most of them were killed.

I want the people who perpetuated the violence to be taken to The Hague. They are responsible for the death of innocent people. Kibaki himself should be taken to The Hague. I can’t take them to court because I don’t have the money. Court is money. Those who have money in court can do anything. But we did not get what we were promised, and we are still going to try.

On the lake at night with lantern trap fishermen off in the distance - Photos by Ian MacLellan 

Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Kisumu is a city known for its fish. Lake Victoria is cool and dark at night, but the importance of fishing to the local culture led us to the lake one evening.

We joined the captain of a 10 men fishing boat for a night of fishing, wading onto the rowboat at eight in the evening and staying on board until six the following morning. We crept along the beachside keeping the lights low. The fishing industry has suffered greatly of late, and the much sought after Nile Perch and Tilapia species are in decline. The fishermen are weary of police patrols who enforce regulations by force or by payment.

Fishing here is a taxing profession. The men work all night long. They row out onto the lake, each stroke in rhythm, while the captain directs the boat from the stern. Once they reach their mark, they drop the net and row back to shore. On shore, the fishermen plant their feet firmly on the rocky lake bed and reign in the net by hand, one pull after another. Pulling in the nets alone can take over two hours. They store their catch and row out again.

We take a break on the beach while the fishermen store their boat far from prying eyes. Two fishermen wait with us; one is called Junior and claims to be eighteen years old, although he looks considerably younger. The other, a man of 32, asks us if we see now how much fishermen struggle. He explains that many fishermen are orphans, and all are poor. But hard work pays, so every night he hikes up his shorts and heads out. It’s better then stealing and ending up in jail, he says.

Sitting crouched in the bow, we become accustomed to the feel of fish beneath our feet. Looking up at the stars and across the dark lake, our eyes fall at times. The fishermen however, persist, feet dangling over the edge, they work mechanically, silently. In the end, their catch is still too small to turn a profit since most fish are too small to be sold. They will take the catch home to their families - to subsist another day.   

Inside the GK Prison Saloon - Photos by Ian MacLellan 

Ian and I bought our first souvenirs today - woven baskets made by women at Kodiaga women’s prison - an appropriate first souvenir for our trip which has consisted of over a dozen prison visits. I always imagined prisons as steel bars and white cement blocks, uniforms and handcuffs. But here, I am surprised every time we cross the prison gates. At a women’s prison, children and babies greet us shouting ‘Muzungu, Muzungu,’ - white man, white man. Their mothers, dressed in the white one-pieces worn by convicts send them over to shake our hands. Children of tender age, 4 and under, are permitted to stay with their mothers when they have nowhere else to go.

Some women sit in the corridors talking and playing with their children. Others do the washing and lay clothes out to dry. We joined CLEAR Eldoret, affiliated with CLEAR Kisumu, who visit the prison regularly for legal education. The women’s prison is very different from what I have come to expect. At Kodiaga and Kibos, the inmates are far more inquisitive and assertive. They seem determined to understand the law, to file their appeals, and get out. In contrast, the women sit so far from Winnie, CLEAR’s student intern, I wonder if they can even hear her speak. They seem rather complacent, chatting, coming and going during the presentation. Or rather cultural norms have made them this way. Many are content waiting on their husbands and families to come to their aid.

Finally, one woman pipes up and asks a question. Winnie walks over to answer, and sits down down with her. We move from our seats and walk over as well, leaning in to hear her question, audible above a whisper. I realize that their quiet and reserved demeanor should not be confused with complacency. They want out. The food is terrible, their children don’t get enough to eat, and the bed bugs keep them from sleeping. But many women simply lack the capacity to take independent action. Educating women about their legal rights comes with its very own set of challenges; they need encouragement and a personal approach.

Dark clouds, and the whole affair comes to an end. The wash was left out on the field to dry and must be collected before the rain falls. Maybe it’s the relaxed atmosphere, the presence of children, or the G.K. Prison Saloon - a Government of Kenya beauty salon located just outside the main gates, but I find the whole experience to be rather bewildering. I don’t know if these women are any more informed by our visit, but I leave with greater respect for CLEAR staff. Change comes with time, and this work requires patience.

“If the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, then the price of justice is continued legal literacy.”

 Photo Ian MacLellan

On Wednesday afternoons, Peter Onyango, a Justice Makers advocate and Rodney Oluoch , a CLEAR pro bono lawyer set out to provide legal training to inmates at Kibos Prison. For two hours, the prison’s small welfare office is transformed into a makeshift law school. Fourteen students in black and white stripped uniform crowd into the small room carrying notebooks and pens provided by CLEAR. The course runs March through August, providing prisoners with practical legal training so that they can advise fellow inmates and represent themselves in court.

In true teaching style, Peter removes his jacket and asks a prisoner to remind the class where they left off last week. “It is just satisfying doing such work. What we teach them will really help them, and it is satisfying to give people a little of what you know,” said Peter. “By going to prison we are able to bring justice closer to the people who do not have access to lawyers, to those who have been denied their freedom, and who the system will never consider differently.”

Having taught the prisoners how to prepare the documents required to mount an appeal, today’s lesson addressed the procedure of an appeal hearing. The inmates questions challenge even the advocates at times. Some cite clauses by number, requiring Peter and Rodney to flip through books on Kenyan law before responding.  One prisoner has developed a new line of argument to challenge the robbery with violence charge, and the room breaks into discussion as prisoners and advocates alike test the idea.

The inmates are serious students. With limited access to law books, they have begun to transcribe the criminal procedures code by hand and hold group discussions to prepare for hearings. Many prisoners are capital offenders, convicted of either murder or robbery with violence which carries a mandatory death sentence, and will likely live and die in prison. Their only hope is to mount a successful appeal.

Peter and Rodney advise prisoners on how to prepare their documents, developing lines of argument, and representing themselves well in court. The Court of Appeal - Kenya’s highest court is very careful when confirming or dismissing a sentence. The rules are highly technical and the courts unsympathetic, so knowing the law - and how to argue it, can make all the difference.

The Kibos program is supported directly by the International Bridges to Justice - JusticeMakers grant which funds transport and material costs.   

I have been working in Kisumu, Kenya with CLEAR(Christian Legal Education Aid and Research)-Kisumu, a JusticeMaker project, for three weeks now. I have been waiting patiently for excellent internet so that I can upload a real slideshow, but the fast internet has yet to come. So here is a smaller sampling of the projects the JusticeMaker project is participating in as well as some shots to help explain the atmosphere for human rights violations by looking at failing industries, abandoned children in orphanages and remand homes, victims of police violence, and the aftermath of the post-election violence in Kisumu.

Besides taking pictures, I have been doing a lot of planning on visiting important parts of the culture of human rights in Kenya. Humera and I will be touring the Kakuma refugee camp near the Sudan border for a week, going on a safari to experience what tourism means to Kenya, since it is such a vital part of the economy and of the international perspective of Kenya, visiting large farms and apiaries, hanging out with more children at orphanages, visiting all the other CLEAR offices in Kenya to get a wider view of the work being done and the work that needs to be done, visit churches and other religious services to help with our understanding of faith and morality in Kenya, and visit as many government, UN, and NGO offices as possible to interview and discuss political and human rights issues in Kenya.

CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker Peter Onyango discussing with a client’s parents at Oyugis Court House.

Peter catching some rest after a long morning traveling to pro-bono court cases.

Outside of the Oyugis Court House

Matatu ride back from early morning court visit with Peter from the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker project.

Students at a local Kisumu secondary school participate in law clubs organized by the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project.

Local cow, while travelling to Usenge with Joan Neto, an advocate who does work for the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project. Neto is helping a local man named Henry Kissinger provide legal advice to the community and she helps him organize his legal documents. Kissinger runs a community center in Usenge, which brings internet and computers to the locals and teaches sustainable farming practices in the wake of the dying fishing industry. Usenge is historically completely economically entwined with the fisheries. Through Kissinger’s Vision 2015 plan he hopes to change that, making Usenge a tourist destination.

Henry Kissinger’s 104 year old grandmother insisted that I take her picture in this pose.

Here is where I make the departure from black and white to color. I still made the black and white editions, but just decided against it. A thunderstorm brewing outside the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project office.

Heavy rains down mainstreet Kisumu.

Thunderstorm outside the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project office.

Dennis Okore, a communications intern for the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project, sits outside the office as a storm approaches.

Children at the Kisumu Children’s Remand Home celebrate the day of the African Child. CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project represents some of the children in court and was a sponsor of the event, which celebrates the rights and freedoms of African children.

Children at the Kisumu Children’s Remand Home line up for lunch.

Accounting for all the children at the Kisumu Children’s Remand Home.

Children participate in games at the Day of the African Child celebrations at Kisumu Children’s Remand Home.

The inner courtyard of Kisumu Children’s Remand Home, where the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project represents some clients and assists with legal advice.

The inner courtyard of Kisumu Children’s Remand Home, where the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project represents some clients and assists with legal advice.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki hangs in almost every business and government office.

Church outside Kisumu City. Religion and faith play very important roles in Kenya and you need to always keep them in the back of your mind.

Child at the New Life Hope Orphanage for 0-4 year olds. Members of the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project volunteer and visit here to help take care of the babies.

A victim of post-election violence in Kisumu. For weeks after the elections, Kisumu was constantly be burning and many major businesses were destroyed. All matters in the town came to a standstill, the streets were unsafe because of rioters and police and supplies of water and food were hard to come by.

A protestor at a demonstration against the police violence during the post-election violence. This protestor had his business destroyed as well in the conflict.

A tree at Hippo Point, Kisumu.

JusticeMaker Joy Mdivo receives her award in person from Sanjeewah.

Sanjeewah announcing that Evans is the newest JusticeMaker.

Evans at his small farm after winning the JusticeMaker competition.

A young boy carrrying water on his bike in Ukwala, a small town where the CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker’s Project is working with local chiefs to organize a future legal education program in the community.

A young girl in Ukwala.

This man met me after I woke up at 5 in Ukwala to get on a motorbike for 25 minutes to go to the Nzoia river for sunrise.

The Nzoia River before dawn outside Ukwala.

Fishermen on Lake Victoria work through the night outside Usenge. The fishing industry is extremely important to coastal communities like Kisumu and Usenge, although Kisumu’s fisheries are almost completely depleted due to overfishing and the Hyacinth invasive plant. These men work through the night because they need the money, not because that is the best time to fish. Many of the men have large families and are unable to pay school fees.

Fishermen on Lake Victoria around 4 am.

The fish cover the bottom of the boats.

Fishermen working through the night on Lake Victoria.

Usenge Beach during the morning fish market.

Birds wait patiently for their chance at the fish.

Lake Victoria fishermen at Usenge Beach.

Lake Victoria fishermen at Usenge Beach.

Lake Victoria fishermen at Usenge Beach.

Beauty “Saloon” inside a women’s prison in Eldoret. Another branch of CLEAR works in the Eldoret prisons also giving legal advice and pro-bono representation.

On Saturday June 13th, the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF), a Kenyan human rights group, organized a day of legal aid at Kodiaga, maximum security prison. Over 2000 remand prisoners are detained at the facility. 13 pro bono lawyers including Peter Onyango, an advocate with the Justice Makers project CLEAR Kisumu, provided legal aid to one prisoner after another, attending to over 100 cases over the course of the afternoon.Legal aid days are held biannually at best. While many lawyers are willing to offer pro bono services, the demands of employment or owning a practice make it difficult for advocates to volunteer time to additional cases. While CLEAR visits the prison regularly to speak with small groups of prisoners, Saturday’s event was unprecedented with hundreds of previously unseen prisoners pouring out from behind the prison’s high brick walls.The day provided prisoners with a rare opportunity to hear from, and question a state prosecutor as well as a resident magistrate from the court responsible for most criminal cases in western Kenya. Magistrate Ruth Maloba assured prisoners that the judiciary was taking measures against corruption and backlogs in court. She responded to lengthy criticisms from prisoners who stood up to raise their concerns, receiving applause from fellow inmates.Peter Onyango assisted a 57 year old man who was imprisoned in April 2008, but will attend court for the first time this July. He is charged with defilement, but while the person he is accused of defiling contracted HIV from the assault, he has tested negative. Moreover, his 20 minute meeting with a CLEAR advocate was the first time he has ever received legal counsel.Legal aid day came to a close with a feedback session allowing advocates and prison officials to identify the most pressing concerns facing remand prisoners. On any given day up to 80 Kodiaga prisoners can be called to court, while the prison transport vehicle only carries 17. With juvenile remand homes at capacity, 16-18 year old prisoners are now detained in the same facilities as adults, and are often subject to abuse.The group concluded that none are blameless. Advocates fail to appear in court, prosecutors fail to bring witnesses forward, and a magistrate on leave can bring all proceedings to a halt. And with few provisions for legal aid beyond what is provided by non-profits such as CLEAR, legal aid days are a necessity. CLEAR has followed up with some inmates, contacting relatives and writing letters to court requesting speedy trial and judgement.

Teddy Musiga, a law student at Moi University, Eldoret and CLEAR student intern has developed a legal awareness program for Kisumu students. For the past year, CLEAR has been visiting the law clubs of four local high schools, Kassagam, Kisumu Day, Kisumu Girls and Xaverian to educate  aspiring young lawyers about  Kenyan law and the judiciary.”We talk about our fundamental rights, and the things that affect us every day, like rape cases in the newspapers. When we have advocates we talk about contemporary issues” said a Xaverian student.  The group of 15-18 year-olds meet on a weekly basis to discuss law, and welcome Teddy’s input and instruction.An aspiring lawyer himself, Teddy’s enthusiasm for the law is evident in his lectures. He drops his papers and allows the students to ask questions and relate law to their own experiences. Teddy discusses where law comes from, why we need laws, and topics such as the sexual offenses act, children’s law, and the right to health and a clean environment.”We want them to one, pursue law as a career, and two, to act as para legals,” said Teddy. “People are very ignorant of the law, so we thought we could train a given number of people who can then assist others. And some of the things we are trying to tell them will reach their families as well.”At Kassagam the students are a little younger but they listen intently as Teddy illustrates the law of tort by pointing out the window at the playing field, explaining that if the playing field belonged to the farmer next door and a student was hurt while trespassing on the farmers land, he or she would not be able to sue for damages. However, if a student were hurt while in the school because of negligence by school officials they would be eligible to file a case.Student David Otieno values the legal program, “I wanted to learn law to know how to defend myself and to help other people, so I can argue with people that they must do the right thing.” Wrongly accused at the age of 14, he spent three months in juvenile before securing his release with the help of an advocate. Now he wants to become an advocate to help others in his community.Altruism aside, there is a dire need for advocates in Kenya. “For a population of 38 million, there are only an estimated 7000 registered lawyers in Kenya, and not all are in active practice,” said Peter. “People ask if we really need lawyers, if its a viable profession. Society seriously needs them, I always tell them that.”