Security was tight at Moi University during the 32nd graduation ceremony on Thursday following threats of disruption by leaders from the area.
More than 100 security officers were deployed in the varsity's main campus after Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said they will storm the fete.
The North Rift leaders on Tuesday held protests at the campus where they opposed the appointment of Professor Laban Ayiro as acting Vice Chancellor.
Mandago and his Elgeyo Marakwet counterpart Alex Tolgos alongside several MPs threatened to stop the graduation unless Professor Isaac Kosgey was installed as VC.
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The government however ordered them to keep off the institution, further overruling them that the graduation would go on as planned.
And with the backlash on their call, Mandago on Thursday clarified that he and the MPs did not demand for a Kalenjin to be installed as VC.
He said that all they wanted was the due process to be followed in the appointment of a substantive VC to head the varsity.
"It is wrong that what we said as leaders has been blown out of proportion. We are not tribalist and all we want is due process in the appointment process. If Kosgey led during the interviews then he should be given the job on merit not because he is a Kalenjin," Mandago said.
He said his sentiments were recorded and at no time did he make tribal outbursts against Prof Ayiro.
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The university will also hold another graduation ceremony on Friday, from which a total of 5,000 students will be according various degrees.
Moi University Chancellor Prof Miriam Khamadi, who presided over the Thursday event, said the institution's administration must accommodate all communities.
She asked them to strengthen cohesiveness among residents of the region, adding that the university was a national institution.
Prof Khamadi welcomed the .
"Moi University is home to all Kenyans and we must nurture cohesion. I thank the council chairman and incoming Vice chancellor for the way they have handled the transition we have had at the university," she said.
The chancellor said the university operations should be free from external interference, further pointing out that it is the only one in Africa that offers Aerospace training programme.
She was with Ayiro and the university council chairman Professor Jenesio Kimanyario among other top scholars.
All the political leaders from the region skipped the event in what sources said was in protest against the condemnation they attracted nationally after storming the institution to stop Prof Ayiro from assuming office.
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The leaders accused CS for Education Fred Matiangi, who
did not also attend Thursday’s event, of planning to block a member of the Kalenjin community from taking over the VCs position.
Ayiro said at the graduation ceremony that he would strive to ensure unity among staff and work with community leaders for the three-month period he will serve as acting VC.
"We will stay on course to keep Moi University as a respected national institution," said Ayiro.