MKU announces a KSh. 80 million gift to past students

Mt Kenya University has waived school fees arrears for over 4,000 students amounting to Ksh. 80 million. The affected students are among those who were allowed to learn during the Covid-19 pandemic and graduated but could not collect their certificates due to fees arrears.

While speaking during the 23rd Graduation ceremony, MKU Founder and Chairman Prof Simon Gicharu said that the university’s gesture was arrived at so as to enable all their students and graduates to “unlock their potential”.

“Over 4,000 past students have accumulated storage fees, library arrears, and late return of graduation gowns. In total, the levies amount to about Sh80 million,” Gicharu said.

 “True to the university motto Unlocking Infinite Possibilities, we don’t want to be the hindrance towards unlocking the infinite possibilities for you.  Therefore, we are extending this waiver and all past students can now come and collect their academic certificates,” he added.

He welcomed these reforms noting that the overhaul touched on increased productivity in research and innovation, industry linkages and funding for higher education.

6,108 graduands were conferred with PhDs, master's, degrees, diplomas and certificates. The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan was also conferred with an honorary doctorate of law degree.

Khan was the lead lawyer when President William Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta were taken to The Hague to answer on the case of the post-election violence of 2007/2008.

In his Honorary Doctorate acceptance speech, Dr. Karim Khan hailed the value of education in the growth and development of humanity.

“I encourage all of us to invest tirelessly towards making education accessible and affordable. This will enable us to achieve an equitable society as envisioned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals particularly Goal No. 10 on Reducing Inequalities of which MKU is the current United Nations Academic Impact Hub,” he said. 

Dr. Khan reckoned that climate change theme of the graduation ceremony “resonates very well with the time we are living in.”

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula who was the chief guest assured private universities the government’s support as it embarks on an ambitious journey to overhaul the education system in the country.

Parliamentary Education Committee Chairman Julius Melly said that the reforms and especially on university education are meant to improve them to international standards.

Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a urged graduates to spread their wings and tap job opportunities abroad noting that the country has limited job opportunities.