By Hassan Wekesa - Editor
Kenya, 22 September 2026 - The People's Party of Kenya Youth League and student leaders from various universities and tertiary institutions across the country on Tuesday called out the National Assembly and the Executive over what they termed as attempts to make tertiary education unreachable to many Kenyans from humble backgrounds.
Leading the young leaders was Wainaina Gichere, National Youth Leader of the People's Party of Kenya.
Gichere said the proposed transition from affordable, low-interest student loans to full loans reclaimable within a year is a big joke and clearly shows that the leaders are out of touch with reality.
They called upon Kenyans to reject the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, in its current form.
The Bill is currently before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education, with public participation scheduled to continue until 2 October 2026.
"You can imagine that the Bill before Parliament proposes that once a comrade graduates, 25 percent of their salary should be deducted monthly to repay their higher education loans," Gichere stated.
He said the experience of the current university funding model has demonstrated the pitfalls of placing an excessive debt burden on students and their families.
"Instead of addressing those concerns, the proposed legislation risks entrenching a funding structure in which a substantial proportion, potentially up to the full cost of education, may be provided through repayable loans," he read from the statement.
The students said they would not accept a system that leaves young Kenyans graduating from universities and other tertiary institutions with substantial financial obligations before they have had a reasonable opportunity to establish themselves in the labour market.
They added that if the proposed Bill is to see the light of day, it must retain the scholarship and grant component, particularly for students from vulnerable and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
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Vivian Mureithi, Vice President of the Student Organisation at the University of Nairobi, a body that represents the interests of over 55,000 learners across the country, said a shift from scholarships to high-interest loans amounts to an attempt to kill tertiary education.
"We reject this in totality," Ms Mureithi said.
Okoth Duncan said the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), which is transitioning to the Higher Education Fund (HEF), has delayed issuing funds to comrades, and as a result, many things have stalled among university students.
"We are supposed to eat chicken, but we are eating like chicken," Okoth said.
He called on HELB to disburse money for the remaining batches within the next seven days.
The Supreme Council Chairperson of the Students Association at St Paul's University, David Kateria, stated that national leaders, President William Ruto included, must learn to listen to the views of learners across the country, as well as parents.
Kelly Wandago, Secretary General of the Youth League of the People's Party of Kenya, said they had received the petition from student leaders in tertiary institutions across the nation.
Party Leader of the People's Party of Kenya is Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.