A large group of students from Moi University took to the streets of Eldoret on Tuesday, vocally opposing the new university funding model which they claim is discriminatory and detrimental to their academic welfare.
The demonstration, marked by fervent chants and prominent placards, saw students block the Eldoret-Nakuru highway, resulting in a significant traffic jam that disrupted the daily activities of commuters.
The protest began in the morning, with students marching through the city streets, brandishing signs that read slogans such as “Fair Funding for All” and “Education is a Right, Not a Privilege.”
Tensions escalated as the demonstrators took control of the busy highway, halting vehicle movement and presenting their grievances to the local authorities.
“We are demanding immediate intervention from the Ministry of Education. This new funding model undermines equal access to education and prioritizes certain institutions over others,” said Esther Njeri, a student leader at Moi University.
She further emphasized that if their demands are not met, the protests will continue, potentially escalating into extended demonstrations across the region.
The protest was in response to a newly implemented funding framework that many students feel disproportionately favors a select number of institutions while neglecting others, including Moi University.
Students argued that the model threatens their future, making access to quality education increasingly difficult.
Local police were deployed to the scene to manage the situation, ensuring that the protests remained peaceful and that traffic flow was restored as negotiations with the university administration and local authorities began.
