Law students are preparing to protest outside the Council of Legal Education (CLE) offices on Wednesday, July 10, in response to prolonged delays in their admission to the bar and other unresolved issues.
This move comes despite attempts by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo to mediate the situation on Tuesday, July 9.
The students are frustrated with what they claim are deliberate efforts by the CLE to mark down their tests and delay their admission.
The CLE confirmed the release of the April 2024 Advocates Training Programme (ATP) examination results in a statement on Tuesday, “It is NOTIFIED for general information that the April 2024 Advocates Training Program (ATP) Examination results are herewith released.”
They urged candidates to log in to their portals to view their results and directed those with enquiries to forward them to the examinations email provided.
One student expressed their anger on the social media platform X, saying, “If the bar is full, they should just tell us.”
Another commented, “We reject results published. How come marks are the same as previous?”
Faith Odhiambo, who joined the students’ discussion on X, assured that the CLE had uploaded the corrected April 2024 Examination Results.
“I spoke to the Chairman of the CLE, and the two major concerns are being worked on,” she stated.
Odhiambo further mentioned that a team set up by the CLE Council is reviewing the challenges arising from examination administration.
This team will begin engaging with students to discuss potential reforms aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the process.
The unrest among students is not an isolated incident. Last year, the acting CEO Mary Mugure stepped down two days after staff went on strike over alleged mismanagement of funds by the top leadership.
The staff accused the leadership of incurring questionable expenses and leaking examination papers to some candidates, raising serious questions about the integrity of the CLE’s examination process.
The Council of Legal Education, established in 1995, is responsible for administering the Advocates Training Programme and conducting courses for the professional development of legal practitioners in Kenya.
The council oversees the Kenya School of Law, which offers practical training for lawyers and other legal professionals.
The ongoing issues and accusations against the CLE have cast a shadow over the authority’s ability to maintain fair and transparent examination practices.
