LDC postpones graduation ceremony

Law Development Centre (LDC) main gate in Kampala. PHOTO/ FILE


What you need to know:

  • In an interview with the Monitor yesterday, Mr Frank Nigel Othembi, the director of the institution, said the graduation that had been slated for May 20, had to be postponed until a new committee is elected.

The Law Development Centre (LDC) has postponed its forthcoming graduation ceremony to a later date, citing the expiry of term of the committee which is supposed to manage the graduation process.

In an interview with the Monitor yesterday, Mr Frank Nigel Othembi, the director of the institution, said the graduation that had been slated for May 20, had to be postponed until a new committee is elected.

“Yes, we postponed the graduation for a time being since the term of the management committee expired on April 15,” Mr Othembi said.

“But we are in advanced stages of getting the new board, who after being appointed, will need some time to acquaint themselves before we hold the graduation. We don’t have a new date but most likely in June,” he added.

Mr Othembi said the committee is made up of eight members but those to be appointed, are four with the other remaining four being ex-officials.

The ex-officials include the director of LDC, the dean of law school of Makerere University, the Solicitor General, and the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education.

He said besides the appointment of the new committee, everything was in place to hold the graduation including the marks.

He said they are working hand-in-hand with the office of the Attorney General, which is mandated to have the appointments done, to ensure that the new committee is formed as soon as possible.

“I think in the future, we shall amend the LDC Act to prolong the term of office of the management committee since the current Act gives them two years. We usually appoint very prominent lawyers including judges of the Supreme Court and shortly, they are gone because their term has expired.” Mr Othembi said.

It was not clear by press time how many gradaunds are affected but previous graduations have had more than 1,000 gradaunds.

About LDC

The Law Development Centre (LDC) is the only government institution that is mandated to train and award lawyers with a Post Graduate Diploma in legal practice to allow advocates represent litigants in courts of law.  

Without a diploma in legal practice, a lawyer cannot be allowed to represent a litigant in court.

The institution has decentralised its services by opening up centres in different parts of the country including Mbarara and Lira.