Makerere law graduates told to have documents certified

The Council of Legal Education has directed law graduates from Makerere University set to sit for their November bar examinations to have their documents certified by the institution. This is to enable their admission to the Kenya School of law.

CLE chief executive W. Kulundu-Bitonye said the students have until September 29 to submit certified documents.

The development comes days after Makerere University announced that it will recall law degrees awarded to students irregularly over the past decade amid claims of forged and altered results.

“The graduates must furnish the Council with copies of degree certificates and transcripts, certified or verified  by Makerere University  as genuine, failing which the candidates will be considered ineligible to take the bar examination,” said Prof Kulundu-Bitonye in a public notice dated September 13.

CLE regulates legal education and training, licenses and supervises legal education providers; and advises the government on matters relating to legal education and training.

READ: Makerere law degrees recall to affect hundreds of Kenyans

The Council last year stopped taking in students due to what it termed an error in the procedure of admitting foreigners to the school.

The issue had been discussed at the task force on legal sector reforms convened by the office of the attorney-general and the department of Justice.

The threat by Makerere University to recall the degree could through the legal profession in Kenya into a crisis.

Several of its graduates in the country work as advocates, magistrates, and others are in the public and private companies.