By Daniella Bagaya
The School of Law at Uganda Christian University has provided the first-year students studying for a Bachelor of Laws with guidance, tips and encouragement on how to navigate the next four years at the institution. This was done during an orientation exercise for the 2026 Trinity Semester entrants to the Bachelor of Laws programme on Friday, the 29th. An estimated 400 students enrolled in the 2026 intake for the undergraduate program.
The event was held to welcome the first-year students to the School of Law and UCU community at large and to familiarise them with multiple systems within the university, such as UCU’s digital library and the Alpha student portal. It was organised as a joint effort between the School of Law and the UCU Law Society.
The keynote speakers included the Dean of UCU School of Law, Dr Peter Mutesasira; the Associate Dean, Ms. Miriam Achieng; the Head of Undergraduate Studies, Mr Daniel Kisa; and the Head of Postgraduate Studies, Mr. Joel Basoga.
The University ICT Services (UIS) also addressed the students and offered them guidance.
According to Ms. Claire Mwebaze, the registrar for the School of Law, orientation aims at familiarising new students with the course units they will be studying, the organisational structure of the School of Law and university, and the overall culture of the institution.
The orientation also offered guidance on how and to whom a law student may communicate when they have challenges, whether they are academic, psychosocial or financial in nature.
The concerns that were raised included students not being acclimatised to the digital processes involved in registration; isolation, as students of law school tend not to be supportive of one another; students having trouble adjusting to a system that needs self-drive rather than a timetable basis; and loss of private property such as electronics.
In spite of these challenges, the freshmen in attendance exuded a general air of enthusiasm to be joining the course and university.
Katrina Luzige, a first-year law student said that in spite of the general consensus that Bachelor of Laws is taxing as a course, it is a matter of determination, “By the time you come for the course, you really know what you’re getting yourself into. So, you have to put in a lot of effort.”
Louis Kalimunda, another law student, felt at home with the general atmosphere and culture around the university, as well as by the orientation process. He expressed feeling encouraged to pursue his dream course, “I find the university serene enough for me to do the course well deservedly. The people, the lecturers and everything in the society is really welcoming.”
Many students expressed finding the orientation very helpful as well.
“I do like the orientation because it guides you. We are first year students, most of us are not so sure of what we’re actually going to do. The orientation equips us with the knowledge that we need spiritually, as well as emotionally because law is not easy,” Lindsay Maziira, a student in attendance, expressed.
Roland Anyijukire, another law student, pointed out how practical he found the orientation: “This orientation process is very helpful for new people. It has guided us. Most of us did not know how to use the resources at this campus, like Alpha UCU and Moodle and accessing the digital library remotely.”
Olga Mugenyi, a law student in third year, and the organizing secretary of the UCU Law Society, stated that organising this orientation process for the first years took a lot of hard work and dedication.
“My team is full of very hard-working people who work towards making the lives of law students easier. When they are called upon, they show up,” she said.
She stressed the importance of the orientation process as one that gives first year students a sense of direction: “As a new student, you need guidance on how you should run your life through law school. It is a question of ‘Who should I ask for help while I’m in trouble?’, ‘Where should I go? What should I do and who will assist me?’ Orientation is a matter of introducing to you how the culture of UCU works.”
