Struggling Moi University Receives 6,771 KUCCPS Students

Moi University has secured a fresh cohort of 6,771 students through the 2025 placement by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), offering a much-needed boost to the embattled institution.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kiplagat Kotut confirmed the intake and extended congratulations to the students, expressing confidence in the university’s capacity to shape the next generation of leaders and innovators. The university also announced that students dissatisfied with their current placements could take advantage of an upcoming inter-university transfer window.

The intake could not have come at a more critical time for Moi University, which is currently navigating a severe financial crisis. Once a top destination for higher education in Kenya, the university has seen its student population dwindle from 48,000 in 2015 to about 21,000 in 2024, primarily due to decreased admissions and growing competition from other public and private institutions. This sharp drop has resulted in a drastic loss of revenue from tuition fees, compounding the financial woes already worsened by delayed government capitation.

In May 2025, Moi University announced it would lay off 892 staff, including over 120 lecturers, citing its inability to sustain payroll expenses. By June, the institution had begun liquidating assets in an effort to cut operational costs and service debts.

Among the items sold were university vehicles, machinery, and livestock, in what administrators described as a “survival move.” The current debt load, according to recent audits, stands at an alarming KSh 8.8 billion, nearly double the KSh 4.5 billion reported in 2018.

While the new admissions will help stabilize operations by increasing fee-based income, university officials acknowledge that the path to full recovery remains long and uncertain. Sustaining student numbers, rebuilding infrastructure, paying off debts, and restoring confidence among faculty and students are among the top priorities.

Prof. Kotut affirmed the university’s commitment to institutional reform, calling for government support and urging stakeholders to work together to secure Moi University’s future.

The university’s placement success, though modest compared to past numbers, signals a positive step toward recovery. As Kenya’s public universities grapple with broader structural challenges—ranging from funding shortages to shifting higher education dynamics—Moi University’s experience underscores the urgent need for financial reforms, strategic planning, and sustainable management in the country’s university sector.