February 2012 update
A Charity quiz night will be taking place on Friday, 10th February 2012 at Ziba, The Racquet Club, 5 Chapel Street, Liverpool L3 9AG at 7:00pm. More
A fabulous evening at the Judicial Shindig raises over £3k for the Liverpool Mombasa Access to Justice Charity. More..
September 2011 update
After considerable time and effort, the Committee is delighted to report the Liverpool Mombasa Access to Justice Project was registered at the Charity Commission as charity no: 1143436 in August 2011. At the same time the Commission approved the change of name of the Company to “Liverpool Mombasa Access to Justice Charity”, in order to reflect its charitable status. On 1st September 2011, the name of the Company was also changed to "Liverpool Mombasa Access to Justice Charity" with Companies House.
June 2011 update - a message from the Mombasa Liaison Committee at Liverpool Law Society.
The main purpose of The Liverpool Mombasa Access to Justice project is to fund and support legal representation for children in Mombasa including the provision of a duty lawyer scheme, legal aid clinics, and the provision of better facilities for minors at police stations and courts.
Due to high levels of poverty in Kenya, sadly children are used as a source of income and consequently they are exploited, not only by trafficking and prostitution, but often they are thrown out of their homes by their parents because they are perceived as a burden on the family. They are therefore on the streets unprotected, and resort to crime to survive. Children who are also often victims of rape or abuse end up in the same police station or secure facility as the perpetrator.
We take Access to Justice for granted. In Kenya legal aid is only available for capital offences. These children need support and assistance. The Liverpool Mombasa Access to Justice hopes to make a difference by ensuring children in particular receive legal help in circumstances where no or limited legal assistance is available. We intend to fund two lawyers- one advocate and one coordinator to represent children's interests. They will be based at the Children's Court and be on hand to advise and represent any children who come into contact with the justice system. We will work with our colleagues in Mombasa who are committed to the provision of Juvenile Justice.
The aim is to make a difference to these children who are victims of their circumstances and deserve to have the basic rights that we take for granted. Please support this project.
First shipment of donated books arrive in Mombasa, May 2010
A letter from the Mombasa Law Society Twinning representative:
7th May 2010
Greetings from Mombasa, Kenya.
It gives me great pleasure to announce to you that the books have ultimately reached the offices of Mombasa Law Society. The clearance process at the Customs was tedious, complicated and time consuming. The books were however released to us yesterday intact. Some of the photographs taken today when I was formally handing over the books to Mombasa Law Society Chairman, Mr.Mohamed Balala(wearing a tie) and the Treasurer Mr.Abed Omar are attached. We are all excited and very grateful for the assistance.
Best Regards,
Samson Okong'o
June 2009 update - a message from the Mombasa Liaison Committee at Liverpool Law Society.
In 2009 Mombasa Law Society continued to keep in touch with Liverpool Law Society. Members of the Mombasa Law Society forwarded articles to provide an insight in to Kenyan Law. The articles can be downloaded below, along with the Liverpool Law Bulletin article written by Anne Heseltine, Chair of the Mombasa Liaison Committee.
Return visit by members of Mombasa Law Society to Liverpool, November 2008
Following a fact finding mission to Mombasa by the President and officers of Liverpool Law Society in October 2008, the Chairman, Deputy Secretary and a member of Mombasa Law Society visited Liverpool from 11th to 15th November 2008. Our guests had a very busy programme in Liverpool visiting solicitors’ firms, barristers chambers, the Crown Court, the Family and Civil courts, the Coroner’s office, meeting the Lord Mayor, and tour of the Town Hall, attending a service at the parish church, and sightseeing. They were also guests of the President at the Liverpool Law Society Annual Dinner held at the Adelphi Hotel on 13th November 2008 where over 470 members and guests attended the Society’s 181st Dinner.
The Society held an open evening on Tuesday 11th. This was an opportunity for members to find out the needs of the Kenyan Lawyers first hand, and to discover what assistance we can provide to our fellow lawyers in Kenya. The speeches from Anne Heseltine President of Liverpool Law Society, Samson Okong’o, Chairman, Mombasa Law Society, the Dean of Liverpool Cathedral, Reverend Canon Justin Welby, and Christine John Director CLEAR International were all well received as was the DVD of Wema, the children’s home that Mombasa Law Society currently supports. Following the speeches and questions from the floor, there was an opportunity for more informal conversations with Mr Okong’o, Justus Munyithya, immediate past Vice Chairman of Law Society of Kenya and a member of Mombasa Law Society, and Janet Katisya, Deputy Secretary of Mombasa Law Society.
