The Proposed Court fees will deny Ugandans access to justice
By Michael Aboneka Jr As we are still grappling with access to services, especially legal services and justice, there is a proposal for increase in court fees and one wonders what the exact motive is when we are just in the depth of discussions concerning the legal aid bill and most importantly a legal aid fund to ensure every Ugandan can access justice. Over 8 million Ugandans live below the poverty line (they cannot afford UGX 3,500 a day) , which has further been exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Before COVID-19, it was also still difficult to access justice due to several challenges but the most important being the costs involved. The role of the state is to create wealth for its citizens and protect them and their wealth too. As citizens, we give the government two things, the votes/mandate, and taxes and what we expect is effective and adequate services. The Judiciary is one of the most crucial arm of government and without it, the country can be in a mess! It is therefore s