Lurambi MP Bishop Titus Khamala has threatened to sue to overturn the closure of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kakamega campus.
Speaking in Kakamega on Saturday, the legislator termed the move as ill-advised and lacking proper consultation.
“They should prepare for a legal battle as I’m going to oppose the move for the sake of the students, most of whom come from my constituency.
"More so, JKUAT has no reason to close the campus given that the county government of Kakamega has provided enough land in Likuyani and here in Rosterman near Kakamega town for expansion of the institution and help students from this county,” he said.
According to the inspection report, Jkuat Kakamega campus was over-relying on part-time academic staff, leading to unfavorable full time/part-time staff ratio.
Other challenges at the campus are lack of key facilities such as a health unit, academic staff offices, student center, and departmental areas among others.
In a memo by the university council dated July 30, students are supposed to shift to Kitale campus or Kisii campus, something the students have vehemently opposed.
Student leader Brian Lavasa said: “We shall not go anywhere else, we chose this campus for our own reasons and moving us to any other campus will be a great inconvenience to all of us.
"More so, we were not involved in the discussions and the university administration does not consider the costs we shall incur in the shift and we are appealing to the Education CS Prof. George Magoha to intervene and help us,” he said.
Mercy Alfayo, a final year student, said it was unfair to move more than 800 students to a campus with a small number of 400 students in Kitale.
“The move will disorient us especially final year students, shall we focus on shifting to a new place or studying for the final exams. This is too unfair, we wonder what factors they base on to make this decision, furthermore, we financially struggling and relocating will only worsen the situation,” said Alfayo.
