In a new development, the government listed 18 universities licensed to provide legal education and issue Bachelor’s and Master of laws degrees in Kenya.
Through a gazette notice dated Friday, December 27, the Council of Legal Education released the full list of universities amongst them the University of Nairobi (UON), Kenyatta University, and Strathmore University.
UON, Kenyatta, and Strathmore were issued licenses to provide Bachelor of Laws (L.L.B) degree education valid until December 2025, September 2028, and November 2027 respectively.
Aside from the three, Africa Nazarene University, and Moi University were also awarded legal education licenses valid until December 2025 alongside Egerton University whose license will expire in June 2026.
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo addressing the press.
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Faith Odhiambo
Daystar University (Athi River campus), University of Embu, Kisii University, and Mount Kenya University (Parklands campus) also made up the list of universities approved by the Council. The four universities will have their licenses valid until April 2029. Mount Kenya University has also been approved to provide legal education at the Masters level with their license running until March 2026.
Other universities approved by the Council were Maseno University, South Eastern University of Kenya and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Law School. Maseno and South Eastern will have a valid license until November 2027. JKUAT’s license will be valid until June 2028 and has also been approved to provide a Masters in Law program.
UMMA University, Chuka University, and Kabarak University also had their law schools given the go-ahead to provide legal education at the bachelor’s level. Umma’s and Chuka’s licenses will be valid until September 2025 and December 2025 respectively.
Rounding off the list are the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and Riara University Law School who will have their licenses run until November 2027 and September 2028 respectively. CUEA was also given the green light to offer a Master of Laws program with the license expiring in September 2028.
The council further detailed learning institutions licensed to provide the law program at Diploma level plus institutions with pending approvals for their licenses.
Mount Kenya University, Kisii University and CUEA were granted licenses to offer a law program at the diploma level with their licenses running until April 2029 and November 2027 respectively. Notably, Mount Kenya University and CUEA are the only institutions to be given licenses to provide law programs across all three levels- Masters, Bachelors and Diploma.
The Kenya School of Law also had their license to provide their Para Legal Studies diploma, a program that was envisaged to bridge the gap in the legal profession, validated until April 2029.
Universities with pending applications for licensing or awaiting renewal of their legal education licenses are Kenyatta University and Strathmore University. Kenyatta applied for a new license to offer a Masters in Law program while Strathmore is awaiting renewal of its Master of Laws (LLM) license. Their current status is due to a pending inspection by the Council.
Scales of Justice and a court hammer.
Photo Epitavi