18 universities accredited in Kenya to offer Law degrees

Kenya's Council of Legal Education (CLE) has released an official list of universities accredited to offer legal education programs, reaffirming the government’s commitment to quality and regulation in the training of legal professionals.

In a public notice issued on Tuesday, July 8, the CLE confirmed that 18 institutions had met the academic and statutory requirements to offer Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degrees, with several also approved for Master of Laws (LLM) and diploma programs.

The move is intended to guide prospective students, parents, and stakeholders in making informed decisions and to curb the rise of unlicensed legal education providers.

Approved Universities for LLB (Bachelor of Laws)

Among the top institutions cleared to run LLB programs are:

University of Nairobi (UoN) – License valid until Dec 2025

Kenyatta University – Valid through Sept 2028

Strathmore University – Accredited through Nov 2027

Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) – Until Nov 2027

Maseno University – Until Nov 2027

South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) – Until Nov 2027

Moi University – Until Dec 2024

Africa Nazarene University – Until Dec 2024

Chuka University – Until Dec 2024

Riara University – Valid through Sept 2028

UMMA University – Until Sept 2025

Egerton University – Until Sept 2028

Kabarak University – Valid through June 2026

University of Embu – Until April 2029

Daystar University (Athi River Campus) – Until April 2029

Kisii University – Until April 2029

Mount Kenya University (MKU) – License valid through April 2029

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Tech-Valid until 20th June, 2028

CLE noted that these institutions were thoroughly vetted and met critical benchmarks, including faculty qualifications, library infrastructure, curriculum quality, and governance standards.

LLM (Master of Laws) Programs – Only 4 Universities Approved

Only four universities are currently cleared to offer LLM programs:

Strathmore University – Accredited until April 2030

Mount Kenya University (MKU) – Until March 2026

CUEA – Until Sept 2028

JKUAT Law Campus – Until June 2028

These postgraduate programs cater to students pursuing advanced studies in areas like constitutional law, human rights, commercial law, and international law.

Diploma in Law – Four Accredited Institutions

The CLE also listed institutions authorized to run diploma-level legal training, which offers an alternative path for students not entering directly into the LLB program:

MKU – License valid until April 2029

Kisii University – Until April 2029

CUEA – Until Nov 2027

Kenya School of Law (KSL) – Until April 2029

Mount Kenya University (MKU) and CUEA stand out as the only institutions currently licensed to offer diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate legal programs.

The CLE emphasized that any university not on the list is not authorized to offer law degrees or diplomas in Kenya.