The entrance to Moi University's main campus in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County.
Despite stabilising academic programmes, the new Moi University Council, which was tasked with turning around the fortunes of the giant academic institution, says that it still needs at least Sh21 billion to achieve full stabilisation.
Appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee on Thursday, council chairman Prof Noah Midamba and acting Vice-Chancellor Prof Kiplagat Kotut informed MPs that significant progress had been made in transforming the university, but that it was still experiencing financial difficulties.
Prof Midamba, who previously served as Vice-Chancellor at KCA University, told the committee that all of the university's major academic activities are now back to normal.
Moi University Council Chairperson Prof Noah Midamba speaks to the media at the university’s Annex Campus in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on February 06, 2026.
“We have restored stability to the academic calendar, the systems are now working and the annual graduation is now back,” Prof Midamba said.
The new council, christened the Turnaround Team, took office in January last year with the aim of improving the fortunes of the troubled university, which was struggling due to governance and leadership issues.
According to the council, other issues that have been addressed so far include restoring the salaries of academic staff, with Prof Kotut saying that they can now pay salaries every month.
He also revealed that the issue of missing marks among students has been fully resolved, with significantly fewer cases, enabling more students to graduate on time.
“Moi University programmes are on course. Teaching and learning has run uninterrupted since August 2025,” Prof Kotut said.
He pointed out that the first semester for the 2025/26 academic year commenced on August 23, 2025 and ended on January 23, 2026 while the second semester commenced on January 26, 2026 and ended on April 30, 2026. The 2026/27 academic year is set to commence in the last week of August.
However, despite the positive steps, Prof Kotut pointed out that historical debts amounting to Sh10 billion are still haunting the university, an amount the council urged the committee to intervene in order to settle the debts.
In this new financial year 26/27, Prof Kotut told the committee that the university needs at least Sh1.9 billion for its recurrent expenditure with a large percentage of the amount going to paying salaries.
“We are still on the red in terms of meeting our obligations. We are dealing with past pending bills and that is what is still holding us down,” Prof Kotut said.
Moi University acting vice chancellor, Prof Kiplagat Kotut, during the interview in Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
“There are people who have actually taken us to court over this and whatever we raise as income at the university, we have to pluck something and pay them,” he added.
The council told the committee that it needs at least Sh500 million to implement the Return to Work Formula of the university academic staff in order to avoid any other academic paralysis.
In order to meet the payroll related deductions, the university told MPs that it requires at least Sh1.25 billion and another Sh3 billion for payment of unremitted loans and outstanding pension contributions.
There are also stalled projects such as the completion and renovations of students’ hostels in line with the governments’ agenda in provision of an affordable housing program for over 10,000 students which requires Sh205 million.
The university also needs Sh400 million for the construction of Pharmacy, Dental and Nursing training facilities.
In addition, the university requires another Sh4.5 billion for the stalled science complex that is meant to support teaching, research and innovation.
The committee chairman Julius Melly told the new team that the country and parents expect nothing from them other than bringing back Moi University to its glorious days.
“We need to see actual results. You have now been in office for one year. While this committee will support you, you must show us tangible results,” Mr Melly said.
Mr Melly directed the council to itemise all their financial needs including all pending bills and their current financial position and present it to the committee for consideration.
“We need a document as a committee clearly stating your current financial position, pending bills, your income that you generate internally and your needs for consideration,” Mr Melly said.
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