Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 10-point Times New Roman font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.

Author Guidelines

Manuscript requirements

1. Title

The manuscript title should be clear, concise, and accurately reflect the central argument or findings of the paper. Avoid vague or overly broad titles.

Do Not

  • Frame the title solely as a question without indicating a clear argument.

  • Use generic phrases such as A Study on”, An Examination of”, or The Role of”.

  • Include unnecessary classifications unless essential to the subject matter.

Creative and intellectually engaging titles are encouraged but must remain professional and relevant. The Editorial Board reserves the right to recommend alternative titles if needed.

2. Abstract

The abstract must summarise the manuscript's key contributions in not more than 400 words. It should be clear, accessible, and follow the IMRAD format: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.

Guidelines

  • Avoid abbreviations unless absolutely necessary.

  • Do not include citations, figures, or tables.

  • Ensure the abstract is a single paragraph and clearly conveys the paper’s academic significance.

3. Manuscript length

  • Manuscripts should range between 3,500 and 9,000 words including footnotes, but excluding the abstract, headings, and acknowledgments.

  • The first page of the manuscript must clearly state the total word count, and the number of figures and tables (if any).

  • Manuscripts that do not comply with length and formatting requirements may be desk-rejected without review.

4. Language and style

  • Manuscripts must be written in British English, unless otherwise specified.

  • Writing should be formal, precise, and free of ambiguity.

  • Avoid colloquial language, overly rhetorical expressions, or vague phrasing.

  • Use inclusive and respectful language, avoiding bias related to gender, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic background.

  • Manuscripts should be logically structured with clear headings and subheadings.

5. Citation and referencing

  • All references must conform to the Kabarak Law Citation Index (KALCI).
    See: KALCI Style Guide (PDF)

  • Authors are responsible for providing accurate pinpoint citations and ensuring proper attribution of all sources.

  • Citations must appear in footnotes, not endnotes.

6. File format and layout

  1. Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.docx) format. LaTeX is accepted only where relevant and properly formatted.

  2. Use Times New Roman, size 10, with single-spacing, and include both page and line numbers for ease of reference during review.

Where available, authors are encouraged to include their DOI (Digital Object Identifier) at the time of submission or before publication.

7. Fees

Kabarak Law Review does not charge fees for any manuscript submitted.

 

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Kabarak Law Review (KLR) is committed to promoting the highest standards of integrity in legal scholarship. In line with internationally recognised best practices, particularly the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), KLR upholds principles of transparency and academic honesty.

All authors submitting to the KLR are expected to maintain ethical conduct in research and publication. Allegations of misconduct, including but not limited to plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate submission, or improper authorship attribution, will be taken seriously and investigated promptly by the editorial board. Where necessary, the Review will issue corrections, retractions or expressions of concern in the issue following such determination, consistent with COPE’s guidance.

The Review reserves the right to take appropriate editorial or legal action if breaches of publication ethics are identified, including notifying relevant institutions or retracting the published work.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Transparency about potential conflicts of interest is essential for maintaining editorial objectivity and scholarly trust. All authors must declare any actual or perceived conflicts that may be relevant to the content of their submission. These disclosures should be made clearly in the manuscript at the time of submission.

A conflict of interest may include:

  • Financial relationships related to the subject matter.

  • Institutional affiliations that may influence the work.

  • Personal or professional relationships with individuals or organisations mentioned in the manuscript.

  • Prior involvement in a legal matter under discussion.

Editors and peer reviewers must also recuse themselves from handling any manuscript where they have a conflict, either real or perceived, that could impair their impartiality. This includes cases involving personal relationships, academic competition, or vested interest in the outcome or topic of the manuscript.

As stated in COPE’s Guidelines on Good Publication Practice, a conflict of interest is “one that, when revealed later, would make a reasonable reader feel misled or deceived.”

Articles

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Privacy Statement

The Kabarak Law Review respects the confidentiality and privacy of its authors, reviewers, and readers. Personal data collected during the editorial and publication process, such as names, institutional affiliations, email addresses, and biographical notes, will be used solely for the administration and publication of scholarly content.

Such information will not be shared with third parties without the consent of the data subject, except where disclosure is legally required. All data will be handled by relevant data protection regulations and the principles of academic publishing ethics.

Indexing and Abstracting

Kabarak Law Review is committed to expanding the reach, visibility, and accessibility of African legal scholarship. As part of this commitment, the journal is indexed and abstracted in recognised academic databases to ensure that published work is discoverable and citable by scholars, practitioners, and institutions globally.

We are currently indexed in:

  • SSRN

We are actively pursuing inclusion in additional reputable indexing and abstracting services such as:

  • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

  • Scopus

  • AJOL

  • COPE

The Kabarak Law Review adheres to rigorous peer review and editorial standards in line with international best practices, which supports our eligibility for indexing in globally recognised databases.

For inquiries related to indexing or to suggest a platform where the journal should be listed, please contact the Editorial Board at: < kabaraklawreview@kabarak.ac.ke >