This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On August 20, 2019, the Daily Nation reported on a crisis that has been plaguing the legal profession in Kenya for eight years. The Council of Legal Education revealed that over 60% of candidates who sat the Bar exams in July and August had failed, effectively barring them from being admitted to practice law.
According to the Council, only 33 out of 100 first-time candidates passed the exams, while 846 out of 2,178 candidates who resat the papers at the Kenya School of Law failed. This dismal performance has sparked widespread concern and calls for an investigation into the matter.
The Senate had previously launched an investigation into the high failure rates, which had been attributed to the Kenya School of Law. The institution is responsible for providing the finishing touches to new lawyers before they are admitted to the Bar.
As the crisis continues to unfold, there are allegations that the high failure rates may be linked to a scam involving crooks who profit from the high fees for resitting the exams. The time to put this issue to rest is now, and justice must be seen to be done.
