Legal Aid Funding Increases as Government Expands Access to Justice

Government funding to the Legal Aid Board has increased more than fivefold over the past five years - from approximately K19 million in 2021 to over K101 million in 2026 - enabling the expansion of legal aid services from 12 to 31 districts.

Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha made the disclosure at the launch of the National Policy on Legal Aid and its 2026-2030 Implementation Plan in Lusaka, describing the investment as a demonstration of government's commitment to making access to justice a reality for all citizens, not just those who can afford it.

Mr Kabesha said the new policy goes further still, setting a target of extending the Legal Aid Board's presence to all districts by 2030. It also strengthens decentralised delivery through legal services units, legal aid desks in police stations and correctional facilities, and circuit legal aid clinics designed to bring assistance directly to communities.

The policy embraces what the Attorney General described as a pluralistic model - bringing together government, civil society, law clinics, paralegals and traditional leaders to widen the net of legal support available to vulnerable citizens. Community paralegals, he said, play a particularly vital role in rural areas as the first point of contact for many people seeking help.

Mr Kabesha also called on private legal practitioners to strengthen their commitment to pro bono work, saying every hour devoted to free legal service is an investment in justice and constitutional rights.

The Ministry of Justice said the policy builds on the Legal Aid Act No. 1 of 2021, which laid the legal framework for reform, and is intended to translate that framework into sustainable, community-level delivery over the next five years.