The Centre for International and Development Law (CIDLaw) anchors the School of Law’s niche area, International and Development Law. The Centre is the thinktank on research, publications, workshops, trainings, public lectures, partnerships, and linkages. University students, especially Law students, cannot learn entirely in class and from their lecturers. They need to be linked to the industry in which they will practice. For this reason, the Centre organises public lecturers during which industry practitioners and renowned persons from both public and private sector are invited to deliver public lectures and trainings to both students and their lecturers.
The most recent person to be invited to deliver a public lecture was the Chief Justice Emeritus, Hon David K. Maraga when he delivered his lecture titled “The Evolution of the Judiciary and Legal Practice Post 2010 Constitution: Lessons from the Past, Ideas for the Future. Through these public lectures, trainings and workshops, students get an opportunity to learn from industry practitioners other than their lectures and therefore have a wide view of the profession they are gearing up to practice in.
Regarding research and publications, the Centre runs the MKU Law Journal, a peer-reviewed annual publication in Law. Manuscripts written by lecturers in law from both MKU and outside MKU are submitted for consideration in response to a call for papers posted by the Centre. The manuscripts are then taken through an intense peer-review process led by experts within and outside the East African Community. Comments from these peer reviewers are then sent back to authors to incorporate in their manuscripts. Once the authors satisfy the board of editors and peer reviewers, the manuscripts are published and made available for reading. The most recent edition, Volume 3 Issue 1, was released in August 2023.
In addition to the MKU Law Journal that is authored and managed by members of staff, the Centre has also started the MKU Law Review, a journal that will be entirely managed by students, with lecturers and members of CIDLaw offering guidance. The board of editors will comprise students, with a member of staff as an advisor. Students will have the opportunity to write papers, case reviews, and book reviews and submit for publication. This is CIDLaw’s contribution to scholarly research for both members of staff and students.