Maseno University is now set to admit the first-ever law students after the Council on Legal Education (CLE) approved the institution.
The latest approval follows the approval to provide Bachelor of Medicine programs that were issued ten years ago.
Maseno University is now set to have its own School of Law.
According to Owen Mc Onyango, Maseno University’s Director of Public Relations, the first admission of students to the program will attend classes at Kisumu City Campus.
“The campus is accessible to all students and teaching staff. One can fly, use the road metre-gauge railway or even travel by water to Kisumu. The city is in a central location,” said Dr McOnyango.
In addition, he revealed that Maseno University is set on increasing the number of scarce professionals in Kenya in the field of Law.
“There are a few legal professionals in the country and the continent in general. Maseno University wants to be part of the solution by adding to the pool of sought-after professionals like lawyers,” he added.
According to Dr McOnyango, the institution has satisfied all the requirements put in place to produce the very best students in the field of law.
“We have followed the channels demanded of us and adhered to the requirements. For a public institution to start a law school, strict protocols must be complied with.
We have met all and are ready to begin offering the courses. It had taken long because Maseno University has never believed in shortcuts,” said Dr McOnyango.
In order for an institution to begin admitting learners or offering Law programmes, it must have adequate human resources and a library with sufficient learning materials as well as adequate space like lecture halls.
“Maseno University has recruited enough lecturers and other professionals who will ensure the law programmes set off on a high note. We have adequate space for the students s well as a modern library just like it is stipulated in the CLE guidelines,” he added.
As it is the case in other institutions that offer the Law programme or course, Maseno University graduates will be required to do a post-graduate diploma at the Kenya School of Law for them to be admitted to the bar.
Students will either be placed in the institution through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) or by applying directly at the institution.
There are other public universities that offer the law programme including the University of Nairobi, Moi University, Kabarak University and Kenyatta University just to mention but a few.