Protesters at Kalerwe during the walk-to-work protests plead with a law enforcer. PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE.

WAKISO
Whereas lawyers have often offered free legal services to vulnerable people, mainly victims of abuse, a team of lawyers in Kampala has started a project solely to give legal representation to those mainly arrested for participating in demonstrations.
The project, Street Law—Uganda, has been drawn to the cause by many politically less known protesters, who are often forgotten, as the news focus is always on political leaders, who already have the means and lawyers willing to represent them, either at a fee or for free.
City Lawyer, Solomon Webalearaali, the brain behind the project and a senior advocate and a specialist in human rights, says, “recently a number of people were arrested during countrywide demonstrations and we look at them as people fighting to widen the democratic space.”
At least 25 people were arrested for allegedly participating in a riot that led to the torching of the Nateete Police Post while those suspected of having a part in widespread riots around the Kabaka’s Palace in September 2009, remain in custody.
The biggest haul possibly comes with the April and May walk-to-work demonstrations against the high cost of living organised by Activists for Change (A4C).Hundreds of people were arrested and remanded to various prisons and some have since been released on bail pending trial, others remain on remand while other cases have since been dismissed for lack of evidence.
Street Law-Uganda also aims at giving free legal clinics to potentially vulnerable people like political actors to sensitise them about their rights.
Speaking at a sensitisation conference for political leaders in Wakiso Town Council on Friday, Mr Webalearaali said most of those detained lack resources to acquire legal services, as a result they cannot afford to apply for bail and have their cases handled expeditiously. He says relatives, friends and political leaders will only need to approach their offices in Kampala to report the suspects facing politically related charges if they want legal representation.
The organisation also offers free legal workshops for local people aimed at promoting human rights and laws in their communities. “Many people are arrested, spend longer hours at the police and are mistreated because they do not know their rights. We hope the awareness will help them,” Mr Webalearaali said.