Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for Public Service and Gender Beatrice Elachi has challenged William Ruto to revive troubled Moi University in his Uasin Gishu backyard.
The former prestigious varsity has been crippled by tribalism and graft which caused it to be closed on October 28th 2021.
Moi University is deeply indebted to the tune of billions of shillings, it couldn’t pay staff and remit deductions causing lecturers and casual workers to down tools.
Gender CAS Beatrice Elachi has since challenged William Ruto to restore Moi university’s past glory if indeed he needs to be voted for and to run the affairs of the country.
Elachi, who was a panelist at TV47, blamed Ruto for the downfall of Moi University. According to CAS, Ruto should first revive the institution which is in his region before going round asking for votes.
Elachi also decried the fact that thousands of people who used to work Moi University were rendered jobless after the mismanagement of the institution.
“If you come and tell me that you can run the country, please revive for us Moi University. It is in your region and you chased away other tribes to leave it to your tribesmen. You didn’t complain and now more than 15,000 have been sent home and nobody is talking about it. And then you tell me to vote for William Ruto? Nooo. Hell nooo!,” Beatrice Elachi said.
Moi University’s woes started sometimes in 2016 with wrangles over the selection of Vice Chancellor (VC).
In September 2016, the row over the VC position took a political and tribal angle when Governors Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and Alex Tolgos (Elgeyo Marakwet) and several MPs including controversial Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi stormed the university and demanded Isaac Kosgey to be appointed as Vice Chancellor.
Professor Laban Ayiro, who is a Luhya, was the acting Vice Chancellor. However local politicians demanded that a Kalenjin take charge of Moi University.
Tribalism took a firm hold of Moi University with Kosgey’s entry. All senior position at the varsity are occupied by ethnic Kalenjins.
Tribalism aside, Moi University is also grappling with Ksh7 billion debt among other cases of corruption and mismanagement which is being handled by EACC.
Moi reopened but announced that it was laying off half of their 5000 workers in a staff rationalization programme that is meant to clear the 7 billion shillings debt.
Former lecturer at Moi University Dr. Ngugi Kimonjo gave a blow by blow account of the role deputy president William Ruto played in the fall of Moi University.
According to Dr. Kimonjo, Moi University’s downfall begun when it became a financier of Ruto’s campaign. He said the varsity was obligated to channel millions of money every month towards running Ruto’s “empowerment” programmes and Harambee.
Related: Dr. Ngugi Kimonjo Explains How Ruto Brought Moi University To Its Knees
