Educate Kenyans about Law

An opinion By Eric Sindabi
Many Kenyans suffer in justice of many kinds simply because they are ignorant of the provisions of the laws of their country. As a result injustices abound in plenty in our midst where citizens of this country continue to be exploited while they ought to exploit the law in order to improve their lives.

From government services like Police and law enforcement, Courts of law, labor and basic human rights, many Kenyans do not know nor understand their rights thus have remained in the dark.

The police for example exploit innocent and ignorant Kenyans who merely live in fear of jail or being locked up in cells. Many Kenyans suffer police harassment and brutality and extortion simply because the forces take advantage of ignorance of law.

Likewise many Kenyans have continued to be exploited socially or in employment simply because they do not understand or know particular legal provisions in given situations. Thus most have undergone great sufferings while more have failed to achieve their basic rights as citizens of this country.

For example many innocent citizens languish in police cells, jails and others even lose their lives. Those who innocently or by ignorance find themselves on the wrong side of the law lose jobs, careers and even families and their own lives.

It should be a government’s prerogative to ensure that citizens have learnt basic knowledge of the laws that govern their country. The notion that ignorance to law is no defense is a weapon of exploitation but not development nor protection.

In countries especially outside Africa and indeed in a few in our continent where citizens are well abreast with law, law and order abide. In such countries interestingly if not ironically, the governments spend less in the process of maintaining law and order. The citizens are also less taxed in terms of Court fines. Many citizens likewise never spend parts of their lives in jails.

I tend to feel that by keeping Kenyans in the dark about law provisions is a biggest injustice. Why should the government continue using law to exploit its citizens instead of developing the economy and improving lives? Good laws can indeed develop a nation but manipulating negatively is injustice.

The civil society, Parliament and other stakeholders should champion for a civil education to enlighten Kenyans about laws on a wide scope. This will ensure that Kenyans will be fully aware of their rights and reduce the un due exploitation being subjected upon them in the name of law.

For example Kenyans should be well versed with law provisions on issues like; Crime, Child abuse, Human rights, marital status, employment, environment, commercial and government responsibilities. The on-going law reforms, the current parliament and police reforms agenda, hence should look into this matter.

It should for example be the responsibility of the police to carry out civil education on law as they are the law enforcers. Other stake holders like the media, civil society and the Law Society of Kenya apart from the Courts, should take an active role in educating Kenyans about laws of their country on grassroots levels. In any society, law should aim at nurturing good lives while a better nation is where all and sundry perceive fairness but never where many are exploited in the name of law.