Ruto credits his reforms for saving over 23 universities from collapsing
By Kiprono Keileb, September 30, 2025President William Ruto has revealed that Kenya’s public universities were facing severe financial challenges that threatened the future of thousands of students, emphasising that bold reforms by his administration have stabilised the sector.
Speaking at Umma University in Kajiado County on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, the President said that 23 per cent of university students are enrolled in private institutions, highlighting the growing demand for higher education alongside the strain on public universities.
“Not long ago, the sub-sector was in a serious crisis, with 23 out of 40 public universities sinking into technical insolvency, threatening not only their stability but also the future of students,” Ruto said.
Ruto noted that the government had accumulated debts totalling Ksh120 billion across public and private universities, which left many institutions struggling to operate.
“We owed universities some money because we had a system that I had to make the decisions to stop sending students to private universities when we didn’t have money to pay for them,” the President said.
He added that sending the student without a proper roadmap made some universities collapse.
“That sank many universities. Many universities suffered. 23 of them were technically insolvent,” he stated.
Ruto apologised to Umma University for previously sending students without proper arrangements on how they would be trained. He assured that no students would be sent to private universities unless there were sufficient funds to support their education.
“I apologise to Umma University that we sent students here several years ago without proper arrangements on how they would be trained. I have not sent any student to any private institutions because until I have the money to pay for them, I will not send any student,” he said.
The President emphasised that his administration has undertaken “bold and far-reaching reforms to safeguard the sustainability of our universities,” ensuring that institutions remain financially viable and capable of delivering quality education.
President Ruto has urged all stakeholders, including university management, lecturers, and students, to cooperate fully with the reforms to maintain the sustainability of universities and support Kenya’s educational development.
The reforms, according to Ruto, are not only about financial stability but also structural efficiency, aiming to secure a future where public universities can continue to educate students without the threat of insolvency.