The University of Nairobi is on the brink of a major student-led shutdown as tensions mount over a sharp increase in accommodation fees. The University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA) has issued a stern warning to the institution’s administration, demanding an immediate reduction of hostel fees from Sh43,000 to Sh20,000 per year.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, UNSA president Troy Rusana decried the increment from Sh6,000 in 2021, labelling it exploitative and unjustified given the poor condition of university hostels.
“We are here because we are in pain and have nowhere to sleep,” Rusana said. “There will be no first-year admissions to UON. Do not download admission letters. Stay at home.”
Students are demanding urgent reforms, including improved hostel facilities and the establishment of a fully functional university council. They claim the current conditions unpainted rooms, broken beds, and unhygienic facilities do not justify the steep fees being demanded.
“If the accommodation fees are not reviewed, there will be no September-December semester,” said Rusana, adding that students are prepared to shut down the university gates and paralyze traffic in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
Patrick Owino, a member of UON’s Council of Governors, criticized the university’s management for its inaction, accusing it of using delay tactics while promoting the slogan “UON cares.”
“We want a written commitment that hostel fees will be set at Sh20,000 as previously recommended by a financial committee. If we don’t get that, we’ll shut down the university,” said Owino.
UNSA Secretary General Elisha Wasike, a medical student, echoed the concerns, noting that some students had been forced to seek accommodation in unsafe neighbourhoods due to unaffordable campus housing.
“No new students will be admitted unless the university addresses our concerns,” Wasike stated.
The student leaders have urged parents to delay sending their children to campus until the fee issue is resolved, warning of widespread disruption if their demands continue to be ignored.
As frustrations grow, UON risks a return to the era of student protests reminiscent of previous strikes under former UNSA leaders.
