Law society, CSO seek sh6b for legal aid home
According to the Justice Needs and Satisfaction in Uganda Report by HiiL, 2021, 84% of Ugandans experienced at least one serious justice problem in the last four years, but 70% of these issues were either not resolved or resolved unfairly. This is partly due ignorance about legal aid services in Uganda.
LASPNET director of programmes Prince Badru Walusansa said participation in the run is through the purchase of running kits at shillings 35,000 for platinum and 25,000 for ordinary kits.
KAMPALA - Imagine a time where you are in trouble, cannot afford to pay for a lawyer but are given a second chance instead of being thrown into a detention facility or having a land dispute resolved through reasoned dialogue.
According to the Justice Needs and Satisfaction in Uganda Report by HiiL, 2021, 84% of Ugandans experienced at least one serious justice problem in the last four years, but 70% of these issues were either not resolved or resolved unfairly.
This is partly due ignorance about legal aid services in Uganda.
Reports also indicate that only 34% of Ugandans are aware of legal aid services in their communities, while a mere 18% manage to access them annually. These stark figures expose a glaring disconnect between the legal rights guaranteed on paper and the lived experiences of millions of citizens.
To address the overwhelming demand for legal aid in various constituencies across the country, the Uganda Law Society (ULS), in conjunction with the Legal Aid Service Providers Network (LASPNET), is seeking shillings six billion to construct a legal aid home in Nakawuka, Jjungo in Wakiso district.
According to LASPNET chief executive officer Dr Sylvia Namubiru Mukasa, the six-storeyed building will consist of an administration block, conference centre for retreats and workshops and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Namubiru made this revelation at their head offices in Mengo, Kampala, on November 18, 2025, while addressing the media about the upcoming Access to Justice (A2J) Run 2025 scheduled to take place on November 29, 2025.
The event will be held under the tagline: Run 4 Justice and is expected to commence at the Law Development Centre (LDC) Grounds in Kampala, starting at 6:00am.
“We expect to run 3, 5 and 10km routes,” Namubiru told New Vision Online.
According to her, the run is aimed at spotlighting the bottlenecks of Access to justice, create awareness about legal aid and pro bono services as well as fundraise resources towards the construction of the Legal Aid House in a bid to strengthen institutional sustainability.
ULS vice-president Anthony Asiimwe, said 5,000 runners are expected to participate in the run and Buganda lands minister David F.K. Mpanga will be the chief runner. He is expected to kingdom premier Charles Peter Mayiga.
He will be accompanied by front-runners from the Judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Uganda Police Force, development partners and corporate companies, as well as churches, among other entities.
“According to Research (HiiL Reports 2016, 2020 & 2024), 80% of Ugandans have a legal need related to land dispute, domestic violence, family wrangles (estates, marriage and children) as well as criminal or commercial-related justice needs,” Asiimwe stated.
Open day
On the sidelines of the run, LASPNET says it will co-ordinate the Legal Aid Open Day, where Legal Aid Service Providers (LASPs) will provide legal assistance, information and advice to clients with legal problems, while ULS will co-ordinate a sports/fun day for lawyers for the purposes of promoting physical and mental wellness.
“Our appeal, therefore, goes to the general public, well-wishers, corporate companies, lawyers, legal aid fraternity, and everyone to join, participate and financially support the run because justice matters for all of us in this country,” Human Rights Promotion Forum (HRAPF) deputy executive director Flavia Zalwango said.
LASPNET director of programmes Prince Badru Walusansa said participation in the run is through the purchase of running kits at shillings 35,000 for platinum and 25,000 for ordinary kits.
Walunsansa said the running kits can be purchased and accessed at LASPNET offices or via Mobile money.
Other pickup points for the kits include ULS offices in Kamwokya, LDC offices in Makerere, as well as on the actual day of the run.
The organisers expressed gratitude to various stakeholders and entities that have so far supported the charity Run, including Buganda Kingdom, the Judiciary, the LDC, Samona, Insurance Appeals Tribunal and the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).
Other partners from the media industry, the general public and churches were lauded by the organisers for their support.