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MPs have called for the immediate cancellation of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement (KUCCPS) admission of students to the Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTC).

National Assembly’s committee on health, chaired by Endebess MP Robert Pukose termed the admissions by KUCCPS as not only illegal but also null and void.

At a meeting called between the committee, KUCCPS, KMTC and Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, the MPs told KMTC to take over the process, re-advertise and commence fresh admissions.

The decision came after a High Court in July ruled in favour of two students who had filed a suit to bar KUCCPS from carrying out admissions on behalf of the nursing college. The order has neither been vacated nor challenged in court. The move will now force the students who were to join the various KMTC campuses in two weeks’ to wait a little longer as the process will have to start a fresh.

Said Pukose: “It is the board of KMTC that is mandated by law to do admissions. When the court rules on a matter and you have not appealed or brought amendments to the law, then what you are doing is illegal.”

To this end, Pukose directed that all the Sh84 million paid by 42,000 students as admission fees that was received by KUCCPS be sent to KMTC to allow it continue with the admission.

“KUCCPS should be able to provide KMTC with the names so that they can know who will be exempted from paying the admission fee,” Pukose said.

He also directed Nakhumicha to prepare amendments to the KMTC Act to ensure that it will be clearly stated as to which institutitions will be admitting students to avoid such a recurrence in future.

During the period, KUCCPS received 42,000 applications with each applicant paying Sh2,000 for the process that would lead to placement to the 42 KMTC campuses spread across the country.

This is despite KMTC having only 11,000 slots for training meaning some 32,000 will be locked out.
He said: “Those who had applied should be exempted for fees and that is why I am saying that the money sent to KUCCPS should be forwarded to the KMTC board.”

Seme North MP James Nyikal said there is no way they will go against the decision of the court.
“We can’t go against the law, what did the AG say about this admission and about the President’s directive?,” he said.

Ndiwa MP Martins Owino told KUCCPS to stay out of the admission of the said students as what they are doing is illegal.

He said: “KUCCPS you are in violation of the law. Please stay out of this because this is the right thing to do. You should not have dipped your fingers into this boiling pot. So stay away from this and return the money back.”

Earlier KUCCPS CEO Mercy Muthoni who challenged the committee as to whether their decision was in the interests of the children owing to the fact that they were to report to the institutions in two weeks’ time said that the Service portal was opened in July 2023 and received applications up to August 4.

She said: “42,610 applicants have expressed interest to be placed in various courses during the September intake. However, only 28 percent will secure places, with over 30,000 missing spaces, as we only have a 11,975 capacity. 77 percent of applicants are 2022 KCSE Candidates.”

Nakhumicha who also tried to defend the transfer of roles invoking an Executive Order allegedly issued to approve the transfer of function to KUCCPS was also overruled as she was not able to provide the order that did the transfer of roles from KMTC to KUCCPS.

She explained the transfer of duties to KUCCPS was because the Operations of KMTC had difficulties in terms of exchequer funding that had been delayed.

She said: “When KMTC went to court, the court ruled that KMTC should place or do its own admission of students. What KUCCPS is doing is placement.”

KMTC Act, mandates the College Academic Board to select students for KMTC’s programmes.