What’s ailing the University of Eldoret?

University of Eldoret is staring at a possible strike after its administration failed to meet the deadline set for addressing many grievances cited by students. The university is also challenged by the dirty politics in the region which has also stunted growth in other institutions of higher learning in Uasin Gishu.

The failure to address similar issues led to a serious strike in 2015 which saw the university being shut down indefinitely. Rogue politicians from the North Rift region who reap on these disruptions always begin by calling for the sacking of vice chancellors who are non-locals.

Right now they are hellbent to have the current VC Prof. Teresa Akenga ousted from her position because she hails from Western Province.  The same university was shut down in 2015 when irrelevant politicians Senator Isaac Melly led his peers to forcefully throw her out.

The students are now demanding the administration to convert their  trip into tuition fee, cyber cafe and shops in the institution opened and TV sets fixed in all in common rooms.

They also need the institution’s dispensary which lacks medicine and does not operate at night fixed as they called for the introduction of Lipa na Mpesa services to be introduced as another option for transaction.

Prof. Teresa Kenga, VC University of Eldoret [p/courtesy]

The besieged vice chancellor is accused of leading a staff that deliberately ensures that students from the local community fail their exams.

To protect the  besieged VC, her built security men have now resorted to harassing students who are also accusing Prof. Akenga  of denying them the affordable milk from the institution’s farm.

Calls for fresh elections are also increasing gradually with the students complaining that the current council has been pocketed by Prof. Akenga who is capitalizing on her financial muscles to muzzle change.

All the troubles facing Prof. Akenga are blamed on politicians like Melly who champion bedlam to reduce the institution into a tribal university. Mr. Melly is a former student’s leader at Mount Kenya University while Professor Akenga is a holder of Ph.D. Degree in (Organic Chemistry: Synthesis) from the University of New South Wales in Australia, Masters of Business Administration (Corporate Governance) from KCA University, Nairobi – Kenya, Masters of Science Degree in Chemistry from Kenyatta University and Bachelors of Education (Sc. Chemistry & Mathematics major) from Kenyatta University.

She joined the University of Eldoret as Vice-Chancellor in 2013 and currently serving her second term at the troubled University.