Students at Moi University are urgently appealing to President William Ruto to step in and prevent the institution from collapsing. The university was shut down indefinitely last Thursday following a month-long strike by lecturers and other staff over unpaid salaries, which escalated into violent protests that left three students hospitalized with gunshot wounds from riot police.
Officials from the Moi University Students’ Organisation (MUSO) have reached out to the President through Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, stating that the university is on the brink of disaster. “We are asking the President not to watch as Moi University collapses,” said MUSO Secretary General Cornelius Kipkoech.
The university is reportedly burdened by a Sh10 billion debt and claims of mismanagement. Kipkoech urged Ruto to shift his focus from the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and apply similar urgency to save Moi University. “We cannot be politicking when the lives of young people are being ruined because they can’t access education due to many reasons,” he emphasized.
MUSO President Vincent Tarus echoed this sentiment, urging Ruto to take a closer look at the situation at the university, which is located in his home county of Uasin Gishu. He highlighted the stakes involved, saying the lives of many students, lecturers, and the surrounding community—who have long benefitted from the institution—are at risk.
Noel Otieno, the postgraduate students’ chairperson, expressed concerns about the university’s imminent collapse, noting that there has been no academic activity for the last two months. He pointed out that students are frustrated by the closure, especially since their parents have already paid tuition fees.
In a circular, Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kosgey explained that the university was closed due to the prolonged strike involving over 4,000 lecturers and staff. Following the closure, students protested, prompting police intervention to manage the unrest.
The violence resulted in three students being admitted to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, including a first-year male student with a ruptured kidney from a bullet and two others with gunshot wounds.
Student leaders visited their injured peers and protested what they deemed excessive use of force by police to suppress the riots. “As students, we blame Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and the Inspector General of Police for the injuries inflicted on our colleagues,” Kipkoech said.
Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Benjamin Mwanthi confirmed the riots at the university and stated that they are investigating the incident. “We are following up to know exactly what happened at the university,” he said.
