Kenya School of Law has a released a statement informing the admissions committee not to consider applications of Non-Kenyans to join the law school for the Advocates Training Programme.
The Law Development Center (LDC) of Uganda has been dreaded by many students for the difficulty in reaching or even graduating through it making it the hardest stage for any Ugandan Law student intending to practice as an advocate.
Issues have ranged from the difficult pre-entry exams to the restricted number of students admitted per year. Students have usually resorted to traveling to different law schools in East Africa, including Kenya to further their careers as a way to escape the Ugandan system.
However, this year, a number of Ugandan students have been strained by the process in Kenya where the law school has delayed to respond to their applications.
One student, a graduate from Uganda Christian University intimated to Campus Bee about the delays “Whenever I call the admissions office, they tell me they are waiting for an approval from the law council.”
In a letter read by Campus Bee, the Council of Legal Education of Kenya has responded by quoting from a number of Kenyan laws and holding that non-Kenyans are not eligible to ‘automatic’ admission to the Law School ‘unless such persons have also been similarly admitted as advocates in their respective countries of origin.’
These new admission criteria will however take effect next year. “It is expected that going forward the School shall apply these admissions criteria starting with January 2017/2018” the letter reads.
“It will really strain East African relations” one student responds to the letter.
This has left many students under pressure, as they prepare for the only option they have-to apply for Uganda’s LDC and see how fate will play out for them.
Here is the copy of the letter.
