Kenya bars East African students from Nairobi law school

Kenya School of Law (KSL) Director Patrick Lumumba speaks at a past function. Kenya has stopped the admission of students from Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda for post-graduate studies at the KSL. FILE PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By OUMA WANZALA

In Summary

• CLE chief executive officer Kulundu Bitonye said the decision had been arrived at after an error in the procedure of admitting foreigners to the school was discovered.
• Uganda Law Society boss Francis Gimara said the directive was inconsistent with the spirit of liberalising legal service in the region.

Kenya has stopped the admission of students from Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda for post-graduate studies at the Kenya School of Law, a decision that has attracted strong protests.

KSL board chief executive Patrick Lumumba said the decision was arrived at following a directive from the Council of Legal Education.

“We have received a letter dated October 25...informing us that non-Kenyans are not eligible for admission to the advocates training programme,” Prof Lumumba said in a November 17 memo.

“In light of the contents of the letter, non –Kenyans should stand informed that the admission committee has not considered their applications.”

Inconsistent directive

CLE chief executive officer Kulundu Bitonye said the decision had been arrived at after an error in the procedure of admitting foreigners to the school was discovered.

Prof Bitonye said the issue was discussed at the task force on legal sector reforms convened by the office of the attorney-general and the department of Justice.

Uganda Law Society boss Francis Gimara, in a November 22 letter to Law Society of Kenya president Isaac Okero, said the directive was inconsistent with the spirit of liberalising legal service in the region.

“The common market protocol made commitments on free movement of legal...and representation services in judicial procedures...with no restrictions,” the letter said.

He called on LSK to engage relevant government departments to reverse the 'unfortunate development'.