Joseph Kaguthi who heads the Nyumba Kumi initiative. Photo courtesy of www.capitalfm.co.ke

Joseph Kaguthi who heads the Nyumba Kumi initiative. Photo courtesy of www.capitalfm.co.ke

Daniel Kituku

Forty seven heads of the Nyumba Kumi initiative from Mithumoni sub location, Makueni County have benefited from a paralegal training organized and funded by Resources Oriented Development Initiatives (RODI ) Kenya.

The program aims at equipping the village heads with paralegal skills to enable them to solve conflicts through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and reduce crime by networking with the national and county administration.

Speaking at the graduation of the paralegals at Mithumoni, Executive Director RODI Kenya Eliud Ngunjiri said the beneficiaries will be expected to pursue alternative resolutions of conflicts at the village level besides working with relevant stakeholders such the prisons and department of probation to stem crime.

Ngunjiri appealed for the use of reconciliation mechanisms through the trained paralegals and avoid court processes which he said were tedious and expensive.

“Court cases especially those that deal with family conflicts among others are a waste of time, money and also brings enmity among society members,” he said.

Ngunjiri lauded the efforts done by the government to improve security but urged the government to mainstream security issues in all ministries.

He noted that most of the crimes committed especially in rural areas are as a result of poverty and advocated for sustainable agriculture for food security and crime reduction.

‘’ We can only reduce crime through development,’’ said Ngunjiri.

Nyumba Kumi, an initiative by the national government, aims to unite law enforcement, private individuals and businesses in a nation-wide effort to reduce crime.

Speaking at same event area Deputy County Commissioner Franklin Ongori lauded the project and asked RODI to roll over the training of paralegals across the county.

He pledged to fully support the project saying that although it was the government’s responsibility to ensure  security to all Kenyans such efforts from stakeholders to supplement the government should be encouraged.

Area Assistant Chief Abel Ngule who was among the graduands said since the project was initiated the number of conflicts reported in his office have drastically reduced.

“Many cases that used to pile pressure in my office have now been handled at the villages by the trained paralegals,”he said.

The six week training covered among other topics Constitution and Human Rights, Gender and Gender based violence, Democracy , Governance and Elections, Succession and Inheritance, Family , Land, Labor Laws and Relations, Child rights, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Crime , Criminal and Civil Procedure and Law of Conflict.