Wandayi protests alleged plot to shut down UoN's Kisumu Campus

Source: Capital FM Kenya
Author: Ojwang Joe

KISUMU, Kenya, Jun 22 -- National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi has alleged a plot to close down University of Nairobi (UoN) Kisumu Campus, terming the move draconian.

Wandayi, who is also the Ugunja MP noted the Campus is historic, having been set up during the tenure of the late Prof George Magoha who was then the Vice Chancellor.

He said the management of the University must rescind the decision noting a number of students have passed through the Campus successfully.

"How else would the management explain the scaling down the courses and eventually closing it down," Wandayi stated on Saturday.

He said the Kisumu Campus has been doing pretty well and the benefits accrued from its existence are huge.

"The economic benefits of this Campus in Kisumu including employment opportunities can't allow it to be closed," he said.

Wandayi told the press in Kisumu the iconic Campus was built by the UoN and as such the university was not paying rent.

The Campus, sitting along Oginga Odinga Street within the Central Business District (CBD), was built in 2013 to house lecture halls amid an increase in student population.

It was constructed next to a historic building that was gazetted as a protected site housing the British Council library.

Wandayi said the management of UoN and the Ministry of Education must rescind any plans to close the Kisumu Campus.

"If you truly mean well for this community, please stop the closure," he said.

The MP said the leadership of the community will not sit and watch the reported closure.