Ugly times for universities facing deep rot

Higher education in the country is being crippled by a silent crisis; many universities are struggling to hold on to survival.

Behind the once-prestigious gates of public universities and technical institutions, a troubling pattern of mismanagement, financial chaos, and leadership failure is threatening not only academic standards but the futures of thousands of students and staff.

The story is the same in all universities buckling under debt, student welfare neglected, staff demoralized, and leadership wracked by political interference and nepotism.

What was once the pride of Kenya’s academic journey is fast becoming a cautionary tale.

At the University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenya’s oldest and most iconic university, the weight of accumulated debt—Sh13.2 billion—has slowed everything to a crawl. Crumbling buildings, unpaid salaries, and power struggles have overshadowed the academic mission.

Last year, students at Multimedia University protested after a persistent water shortage rendered hostels and lecture halls unusable.

The Kenya University Students Organisation (KUSO) warned that deteriorating student welfare is causing a surge in mental health issues among learners.

“When students speak out, they are either threatened with suspension or completely ignored,” said Brian Ochieng, KUSO President.

The 2024 Auditor General’s report painted a grim picture: over Sh4.2 billion could not be accounted for in public universities.

The University of Nairobi alone was flagged for spending over Sh700 million on stalled projects while lecturers went unpaid for months.

At Moi University, once a pillar of academic excellence, is on the brink. This week, over 800 employees received redundancy letters in a sweeping downsizing operation that sent shockwaves across the education sector.

The university said the exercise is necessary to align staffing levels with the financial and operational realities.

The decision comes amid growing fiscal strain and follows the consolidation of staff at the main campus after several of the university’s former satellite campuses received charters, leaving Moi University with more staff than it can support.

All affected employees have been asked to collect their letters from designated university offices between May 14 and May 23, with valid national identification cards and their personal file number to facilitate the process.

This follows an earlier communication by Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Administration, Planning and Strategy, Prof Loice Maru, which outlined the reasons behind the move, citing budget shortfalls across departments.

“We regret to inform you that due to financial constraints currently facing the University, a decision has been made to implement a right-sizing exercise,” she stated.

“This has been carried out in compliance with Section 40 of the Employment Act, 2007 and the provisions of the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement.”

Prof. Maru added that the university had conducted a thorough review of its operational needs and financial sustainability, which led to the identification of roles to be declared redundant.

But for many, the move is a grim reminder of the human toll of poor planning.

“I’ve worked here for 14 years. Now, I’m leaving with no idea how I’ll feed my family,” said one dismissed employee, asking to remain anonymous.

Beyond financial ruin, Kenya’s public universities suffer from something deeper—leadership failure.

“We are witnessing the collapse of professional leadership. Many managers are more interested in appeasing appointing authorities than in fostering academic excellence,” said Dr Janet Wekesa, a university lecturer and education policy expert.

At UoN, senior officials are embroiled in power struggles over assets worth more than Sh200 billion. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Education is at a stalemate over the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor, prolonging institutional limbo.