Moi University misses out on regulator’s law courses nod

Moi University will for the second year in a row miss out on Council of Legal Education (CLE) list of universities allowed to offer law degree courses.
In a public notice, CLE chief executive Wanjala Kulundu-Bitonye left out the institution, which has been engaged in legal battle with the council since 2015.
The university has been admitting students despite being declared unfit to teach law, which the council has shrugged off as a waste of money by parents and guardians.
“Under provisions of the Legal Education Act of 2012, the following institutions are licensed legal education providers in Kenya as at December 2017,” said Prof Kulundu-Bitonye.

The universities cleared to offer law degree courses are Riara University, Nazarene University, the University of Nairobi, Egerton University, Strathmore University, Kenyatta University, Jomo-Kenyatta School of Law and Catholic University of Eastern Africa School of Law. Kisii University licence awaits renewal from CLE after it expired in October 2016.

In April last year, High Court Judge George Odunga nullified the Council order asking Moi University to stop offering law courses.

READ: Dispute over Moi University’s law degrees escalates

In his ruling, Justice Odunga argued that the council had violated the law in issuing the closure directive to the universities since its role is restricted to setting standards.
Among reasons cited as grounds for declaring Moi University unfit to offer law is that the institution is poorly equipped and lacks adequate staff.

Moi University acting Vice-Chancellor Laban Ayiro has since maintained that the law degree was approved by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the body that accredits university courses.

New applications for licence awaiting full inspection by CUE are of Mt Kenya University Parklands Campus, Daystar University School of Law, Strathmore University School of Law and Kenya School of law- paralegal studies.

In April, the council sought intervention of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions over the row on law degrees offered at Moi University.

In January this year, Justice Odunga termed as illegal attempts by attorney general Githu Muigai to reconstitute the embattled council.