By Omondi Rodgers

Busia County: Residents of Butula Sub-County in Busia have welcomed the ongoing construction of a law court at Bukhalalire, saying its completion will bring justice services closer to the people, ease the workload at Busia Law Courts, and strengthen the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in the region.

The court, whose construction is 93 percent complete, is expected to reduce the distance residents travel to access justice and improve the timely hearing and determination of cases. Busia County has consistently recorded high cases of gender-based violence, including defilement, domestic violence, and sexual assault, with survivors often forced to travel long distances to seek justice.

Speaking at the construction site, residents led by Justus Omondi said the facility would address the delays they have experienced while seeking justice at the Busia Law Courts.

“Many times, as people from Butula, we have felt that justice for our cases has been delayed due to the caseload witnessed at Busia Law Courts. With this court, we are certain that justice services will be delivered on time,” Omondi said.

He urged residents living around the court to invest in houses, shops, and other businesses to take advantage of the economic opportunities expected to emerge once the facility becomes operational.

“When the court starts to operate, the staff will need places to stay and will buy various commodities. To the surrounding community, this is an opportunity for us to generate income. Let us construct houses and shops that will serve court users as we generate income,” he said.

Another resident, Isaac Wafula, said the court would also contribute to addressing insecurity and land-related disputes in the area.

“This place has witnessed a lot of insecurity and land-related cases, and we are happy that the presence of a court here will help address them. We have been spending a lot of money travelling to Busia to seek justice, but with this court, we are happy that the justice system will be closer to us,” Wafula said.

Ken Ayoo commended efforts by area MP Joseph Oyula to facilitate the establishment of the court, saying residents had endured lengthy legal battles over land disputes.

“This is one of the great works our MP has done for us. I have been fighting in Busia Court for more than 10 years over a land title deed. This court will ease land cases as we will only have to walk here to follow up on our cases,” Ayoo said.

He expressed hope that the facility would be officially opened by Chief Justice Martha Koome before the end of the year.

Clementina Auma said the court would provide a closer avenue for widows facing land-related disputes and other forms of injustice.

“As widows, we have been mistreated by neighbours and even in-laws who have been expanding land boundaries and taking our land. With the presence of the court here, we are sure we will be able to come and seek justice nearby, unlike the Busia town court, which is far from us,” she said.

Joseph Ongulu said the facility would also enable residents to attend court proceedings and gain a better understanding of the justice process without incurring high transport costs.

“The fare to go to Busia for court proceedings is high, making it difficult for many of us to attend court sessions. We will be able to walk into this court, follow live proceedings and learn how the justice process works,” Ongulu said.

Bukhalalire Assistant Chief Samuel Wanzala said the area had additional public land that could be used to establish a prison, while calling for the upgrading of Bukhalalire Police Post into a police station.

“We have 50 acres of public land around here where a prison can be established. Another advantage will be the upgrading of the police post at Bukhalalire to a police station. This will enhance security in the area and improve the safety of our people,” Wanzala said.

The new court is expected to play a critical role in addressing the backlog of GBV cases in Busia County, where survivors have long called for closer and more accessible justice services.