Entrance to Kibabii University College.

The Kibabii University College has closed its doors indefinitely after students went on the rampage over lack of water and constant supply of power. 

This occurs hardly three months since the University College opened its doors in March this year. 

Kibabii University College is a constituent of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) which admitted 333 pioneer students in March this year with a second batch of 450 students expected to join the institution next month. 

The students said though they have good facilities, they lack water and electricity which they termed as essential in their daily endeavors. 

The students blamed the school administration for insensitivity arguing that they have been encountering the problems since they reported at the institution and that nothing was being done to save the situation. 

The Kibabii University College Library that students say lacks research books. [PHOTO|Protus Simiyu|West Fm]

The students also said they have a good library but it lacks reference books, a situation that has made it difficult for them to conduct course work research. 

‘’What is the essence of having a modern computer library when we cannot access internet owing to lack of power supply,’’ said a student. 

The University administration coordinator Prof. Isaac Ipara Odeo did admit that the grievances raised by the students were genuine saying that measures were being undertaken to control the situation. 

Prof. Ipara disclosed that the Kenya Power transformer is not able to power the whole institution a situation that has forced the main contractor to ration power supply especially during the day. 

‘’We have a 100KV transformer and the contractor is allocating us 30KV while the remaining 70KV is used by the contractor to run heavy machines during the day, and during the night he is allocating 80KV’’, Prof Ipara said. 

Further Mr. Ipara (pictured above) said they are engaging Kenya Power to provide a 200KV transformer at the institution while being optimistic that once this is achieved there will be enough power supply. 

 Concerning water supply Prof. Ipara noted that the available power is not enough to pump water to the higher level storage tank leading to the shortage. 

‘’We have water shortage but we have other options including a buzzer and a borehole, but this will we be resolved if Kenya Power will give us a 200KV transformer. 

He said the lead consultant has also promised to approve the use high powered generator as a stand by measure for Kenya Power electricity supply. 

On the issue of lack of reference books at the library, Prof Ipara refuted students’ claims saying enough first semester books were purchased for the institution. 

Mr. Ipara said at the moment they are in the process of purchasing 300,000 volumes of reference books for next semester saying by next week the books will be on the shelves of the college library. 

The Kibabii University student strike comes hardly a week after students of Moi University West Campus in Eldoret town went on the streets after one of their own was murdered in Pioneer Estate calling for security agents to beef up security in the region.