Government Releases List Of 18 Accredited Universities To Offer Law Degrees

The government, through the Council of Legal Education (CLE), has officially published a comprehensive list of accredited universities authorized to offer law degree programs in Kenya.

In a public notice released on Tuesday, July 8, CLE confirmed that 18 universities across the country had met the statutory and academic requirements to provide legal education at various levels, including Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Master of Laws (LLM), and diploma programs.

The notice serves to inform students, parents, and other stakeholders about institutions that are legally authorized to train lawyers and award recognized law degrees. This announcement is part of ongoing efforts by the CLE to uphold quality and standardization in legal education across Kenya.

According to CLE, the University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenyatta University (KU), and Strathmore University are among the top-tier institutions granted licenses to offer the Bachelor of Laws degree.

The license for UoN is valid until December 2025, while Kenyatta University’s license will run through September 2028. Strathmore University has been authorized to offer LLB education until November 2027.

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Other universities that received CLE approval for their LLB programs include:

1. The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) – Licensed until November 2027
2. Maseno University – Licensed until November 2027
3. South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) – Licensed until November 2027
4. Moi University – License valid until December 2024
5. Africa Nazarene University – License valid until December 2024
6. Chuka University – License valid until December 2024
7. Riara University – Approved through September 2028
8. UMMA University – License valid until September 2025
9. Egerton University – Approved through September 2028
10. Kabarak University – License valid until June 2026
11. University of Embu – Licensed until April 2029
12. Daystar University (Athi River Law Campus) – Licensed until April 2029
13. Kisii University – License valid until April 2029
14. Mount Kenya University (MKU) – License valid until April 2029

These institutions have been vetted and found to possess the necessary academic infrastructure, qualified faculty, library resources, and curricular compliance required for delivering quality legal education at the undergraduate level.

The Council also disclosed that only four universities in Kenya have been granted permission to offer the Master of Laws (LLM) program. These institutions and the validity of their licenses are as follows:

1. Strathmore University – Accredited until April 2030
2. Mount Kenya University (MKU) – Licensed until March 2026
3. Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) – Approved through September 2028
4. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT Law Campus) – License valid until June 2028

These postgraduate programs are essential in enabling students to pursue advanced studies in various areas of law such as human rights, international law, commercial law, and constitutional law.

In addition to undergraduate and postgraduate programs, the CLE also listed institutions allowed to provide diploma-level legal training. These include:

1. Mount Kenya University (MKU) – Diploma license valid until April 2029
2. Kisii University – Licensed through April 2029
3. Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) – Diploma license valid until November 2027
4. Kenya School of Law (KSL) – License valid until April 2029

Diploma programs serve as a critical entry point for students who may not have qualified for direct entry into the LLB degree, offering an alternative route into the legal profession.

Notably, Mount Kenya University (MKU) and CUEA emerged as the only institutions currently accredited to offer legal education across all three tiers—diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate.

This marks them as leading institutions in Kenya’s legal education sector, capable of training lawyers from foundational to advanced academic stages.

The Council of Legal Education is the regulatory body mandated under the Legal Education Act to ensure that all legal education providers maintain the required academic standards. It conducts regular evaluations of university law faculties and campuses to ensure compliance with the minimum legal education standards.

Through this newly released accreditation list, CLE aims to assure students and employers that only graduates from approved institutions will be recognized for admission to the Kenya School of Law and eventual entry into the legal profession.

Prospective law students are strongly encouraged to verify that the institutions they wish to join are CLE-accredited before enrolling in any law program. Unauthorized programs may lead to disqualification from future bar training or legal practice in Kenya.

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