Concerns over creation of new universities before election

Award of charters is becoming political bait in the run-up to every Kenyan election, after President Uhuru Kenyatta created eight new universities in the last two weeks of the expiry of his term, repeating the same pattern witnessed in 2017, writes Lynet Igadwah for Business Daily Africa.

During his three-day tour of Western and Nyanza Kenya last week, Kenyatta awarded charters to the universities in Vihiga, Busia, Homa Bay, Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu, Makueni, Kajiado and Nairobi counties.

While the law mandates the president to issue charters to universities, it is the timing of the recent awards that is raising eyebrows. “Awarding charters to universities in the western region is aimed at making the residents there happy so they can listen to his advice of voting for Azimio,” said political analyst Munene Macharia.
Full report on the Business Daily Africa site