Reviving Moi University
Reviving Moi University: 5 Strategies to Restore Lost Glory of Eldoret-Based Premier Institution.
Moi University is falling apart before our eyes. And we cannot afford to let it happen. Its decline is our collective failure, but its revival can be our shared triumph. The past year has been especially brutal for the Kesses-based institution, with strikes, protests, and financial freefall defining its existence. In August 2024, staff and lecturers downed their tools over KSh 10 billion in unpaid salaries, demanding the removal of vice-chancellor Isaac Kosgey. In October 2024, student protests forced the university to close indefinitely. Even when Education CS Julius Ogamba intervened with partial financial relief, discontent simmered.
By January, Kosgey was sent on forced leave amid corruption investigations, as the new university council took over. But the problems didn't stop there. This March, unpaid salaries and mass layoffs pushed the crisis further.
With billions in debt and dwindling revenues, Moi University is staring at an existential crisis one created by years of mismanagement, underfunding, and lost vision. But the question is, how do we pull it back from the brink?
The road to Moi University's restoration.
I believe Moi University can surely rise again, not just to function but to lead. Here’s how:
1. Restore financial stability
The government must move fast. That KSh 500 million promised last November? Release it, alongside the KSh 1.05 billion in salary arrears, so that staff can be paid and students can return to a functioning learning environment. The 324 employees recently sacked? Bring them back, because a university cannot operate on a skeleton crew.
Beyond this, the government should actively consider a one-time injection of some billions to wipe out the university’s suffocating debt owed to dons and to creditors. This isn’t just a bailout; it’s an investment in the future of Kenyan education.
2. Monetise university land.
Moi University owns thousands of acres of land, yet much of it lies idle. Why? Instead of letting encroachers chip away at it, the university should lease it to reputable agribusinesses or, better yet, establish its own large-scale farming. Imagine fields of maize, dairy farms, or even a revitalised apple orchard generating proper revenue to fund research, improve infrastructure, and support students. It all narrows down to Moi University proving that it can be self-sufficient, reducing dependence on unpredictable government capitation, and leveraging its resources for long-term growth.
3. Cut wastage and payroll bloat.
A staggering 70% of the university's revenue goes to salaries unsustainable by any measure. That figure must be brought down, by relooking the paychecks and allowances of top varsity officials, to at most 50%, with savings redirected to academic programs, research, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, loss-making ventures must be reconsidered. The Nairobi campus, which bleeds almost KSh 50 million annually, should be shut down to refocus efforts on the Eldoret main campus. Additionally, stalled projects, like the apple farm and the varsity owned Rivatex textile company, should be revived through public-private partnerships. Efficiency isn’t about mindless cuts; it’s about ensuring every shilling goes towards making Moi a top-tier institution again.
4. Eradicate corruption and tribalism.
The rot at Moi runs deep, and unless corruption and tribal favoritism are rooted out, real progress will remain a pipe dream. The ongoing probe into Kosgey’s alleged mismanagement of KSh 2.2 billion must be concluded swiftly, by July at the latest. A competent, integrity-driven and long term vice-chancellor ought to be appointed, with no room for political influence or tribal considerations.
Moreover, the new university council under chairman Noah Midamba should commit to transparency, by releasing quarterly financial reports. A full audit of past hiring and procurement deals, dating as back as 2015, should be conducted to expose any irregularities and recover misallocated funds from the culprits. Going forward, all major contracts should pass through an independent, competent procurement board. Only clean governance will restore trust in Moi’s leadership.
5. Think big, plan for the long term.
The government should reinstate the pre2016 funding model, where Moi received over KSh 300 million monthly in capitation. But beyond that, the university can carve out a unique niche. Moi should be a regional leader in agriculture and health sciences, capitalising on Kesses’ favourable climate and fertile soils for research, and soliciting grants and global academic partnerships. Alumni and well-wishers should also step in. Initiating a #SaveMoiUniversity movement on X (formerly Twitter) can be a great start, but it must translate into real funding and policy pressure.
Why saving Moi University matters
Some might say Moi University is too far gone, that we should let it collapse. But that would be a national tragedy. The university trains our doctors, produces groundbreaking research, and shapes graduates who power Kenya's politics and economy. Letting it fail is not an option.
The strikes, the unpaid salaries, the school bus-turned-commuter transport these are all symptoms of long-term neglect. Moi University’s decline mirrors Kenya’s struggles with mismanagement and wasted potential. But its revival can showcase our strengths of resilience, ingenuity, and national pride. This isn’t just about saving one university it’s about proving that we care about the future of education in Kenya. Act now, or be prepared to explain to the next generation why we let Moi University slip, and fade away.
This is dope 👏👏
ReplyDeleteAppreciated🙂🤝
Delete