The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has released an updated list of institutions permitted to provide law courses in Kenya, a decision that has shocked the nation’s academic and legal communities.
The shocking decrease of just 26 institutions that made the cut highlights the council’s stepped-up efforts to maintain integrity and quality in legal education.
The industry is taking notice when the University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenya’s oldest and most prestigious law school, was prohibited from providing postgraduate law programs (LL.M.).
The CLE, the statutory body tasked with regulating legal education in Kenya, said the revised list follows a rigorous audit of law faculties to assess compliance with the Legal Education Act and related regulations. Institutions were evaluated based on curriculum quality, teaching staff qualifications, facilities, research output, and governance standards.
Among those approved are Strathmore University, Kenyatta University, Riara University, and Kabarak University, all cleared to continue offering both undergraduate and postgraduate legal education. In contrast, the University of Nairobi was only cleared for its Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) programme, with its master’s degrees suspended until it meets certain compliance benchmarks.
The CLE’s decision has sparked intense public and professional debate. While some stakeholders have praised the council’s bold stance as necessary to address the oversupply of underqualified law graduates, others have questioned the exclusion of institutions with long-standing reputations.
CLE Chairperson Winnie Guchu emphasized that the move is not punitive but corrective. “Our mandate is to protect the legal profession and ensure that students receive education that meets the highest standards. We’re working with affected institutions to support their full compliance,” she stated.
With legal education now firmly under the microscope, the CLE’s decision could mark the beginning of a more credible, competitive, and globally respected legal training landscape in Kenya, but not without tension and transition.
