Kaimosi Friends University KAFU Public University or Tiriki Institution: Vihiga Debate Over Main Campus Development and Satellite Campuses

Kaimosi Friends University: Tiriki Union Protests Alleged Underdevelopment as Debate Erupts Over National vs Community Institution
A notice by Tiriki Union announcing a demonstration over the "continued underdevelopment" of Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) has sparked a heated debate in Vihiga County over whether the institution is a Tiriki community university or a Kenyan public university belonging to all citizens.

The Union is angry that while KAFU's main campus at Kaimosi remains underdeveloped, the university is opening campuses elsewhere, including Kobujoi in Nandi County and Vokoli in Sabatia, Vihiga County.

What Is Kaimosi Friends University?
Kaimosi Friends University is a chartered public university established under the Universities Act 2012. It is NOT a community college or ethnic institution, but a national public university built on public land with public policy and taxpayers' money.

The institution's history shows this clearly:

• The university sits inside the historic Kaimosi Complex, a Quaker mission area established in the early 1900s by Friends Church (Quakers). The complex hosts over 10 institutions including Kaimosi Friends Hospital, Friends College Kaimosi, Kaimosi Boys and Girls, Theological College, TVETs and primary schools.
• In September 2014, it was started as Kaimosi Friends University College (KAFUCO), taking over the premises of Kaimosi Teachers Training College.
• It was gazetted on May 22, 2015 via Legal Notice No. 87 as a constituent college of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST).
• On August 2, 2022, President Uhuru Kenyatta awarded it a Charter, making it a fully autonomous public university under the Universities Act 2012. It became the first and only chartered university in Vihiga County.
• The university sits on 203 acres of land, 500 meters off Chavakali-Kapsabet Road, between Shamakhokho and Cheptul, about 35km from Kisumu, Kakamega and Kapsabet. It has over 4,500 students and offers more than 43 programs in Education, Health Sciences, Business, Computing and Science.

In short, KAFU is a national institution that happens to be located in Kaimosi, Vihiga County.

What Tiriki Union Is Saying
Tiriki Union says Kaimosi main campus is being neglected while KAFU opens campuses in Kobujoi in Nandi County and Vokoli in Sabatia, Vihiga County.

This concern is legitimate. Any community hosting a public university deserves roads, hostels, water, jobs, business opportunities, and proper infrastructure. If Kaimosi lacks labs, lecture halls, tarmac roads and staff housing, the community has every right to demand answers from the University Council, Management and Ministry of Education.

But demanding development is different from claiming ownership.

Where the Argument Goes Wrong
The statement that KAFU is being treated as a Tiriki possession is where the problem starts.

If KAFU is a public university, its land, funding, programs, staff and students do not belong to one ethnic group. It belongs to Kenya. Students from Turkana to Kwale, and lecturers from Mombasa to Busia, have a right to study and work there.

This ethnic entitlement thinking is dangerous for Kenya. If every community claims the public institution near them - if we say Kenyatta National Hospital belongs to Nairobians, Moi Airport belongs to Mombasa people, or Egerton belongs to Njoro - we will destroy the idea of a national public good.

Recent Government Commitment to KAFU
In August 2026, President William Ruto pledged Sh600 million towards expanding student accommodation and promoting peace at Kaimosi Friends University. Speaking on Monday, August 3, 2026, while hosting members of the Friends Church at State House, Nairobi, the President announced Sh550 million for the construction of student hostels and an additional Sh50 million to kick-start a proposed peace centre at the institution.

President Ruto lauded Quaker institutions and commended KAFU's Vice-Chancellor at the State House prayer meeting. According to the university, Kaimosi Friends University currently has no pending statutory obligations or pending bills.

Expansion Is Not Betrayal
The university's expansion should be welcomed, not treated as betrayal.

Kobujoi Campus in Aldai, Nandi County: KAFU describes this as a hub for STEM, teacher education and agricultural innovation. It takes university education closer to students in Nandi and Vihiga who cannot afford to relocate to big towns. It reduces cost, creates jobs, and empowers the region.

Vokoli Campus in Sabatia: According to The Standard, a Sh192 million education complex in Vokoli had remained unused for over 12 years. In March 2026, residents endorsed its transfer to KAFU. If a public building is idle for a decade, turning it into a university campus is not theft - it is wisdom.

A university can have a strong main campus and still have satellite campuses with specialized functions. University of Nairobi has campuses in Mombasa and Kisumu. Maseno has campuses in Kisumu and Nairobi. That does not weaken the main campus.

Library Project Delays
Despite government funding, Kaimosi Friends University's library project has faced delays. Originally set for completion in February 2023, the project deadline was revised to November 2024 and has again been pushed further to August 2025.

This delay has added to community concerns about whether adequate investment is being made in the main campus infrastructure.

What Should Happen?
Tiriki people deserve development. Kaimosi deserves investment. But KAFU belongs to Kenya.

The solution to underdevelopment is not to oppose expansion. The solution is to demand MORE investment, with evidence.

Tiriki Union should:

• Ask for an audit: How much has been invested in Kaimosi vs satellite campuses since 2022?
• Demand flagship status: Make Kaimosi the centre for Senate, Administration, Graduation, Research, Medicine and main library. Let satellite campuses be specialized.
• Engage constructively: Write to the Commission for University Education (CUE), the Ministry of Education, the University Council, MPs - with a list of needs: labs, hostels, Kaimosi-Shamakhokho loop tarmac, water, ICT.
• Avoid ethnic language: Frame it as "We host a national university, we need national investment," not "This is our Tiriki university."

Politicians must also stop suggesting that public institutions belong to the community where they are built. That is populist but poison for national unity.

What Happens Next
If Kaimosi is being neglected, let evidence speak. Let leaders account. But let us not turn a national university into a community conclave.

KAFU must grow, and Kaimosi must develop. Both can happen.

The Commission for University Education (CUE), which regulates Kenyan universities and accredits programmes under the 2012 Universities Act, oversees whether institutions meet standards required for durable operation. CUE licenses Kenyan universities and accredits programmes, determining whether an institution may lawfully exist and whether a specific degree or diploma is an accredited qualification.

For Kaimosi Friends University to continue serving both its host community and the nation effectively, constructive engagement between Tiriki Union, university management, government and regulatory bodies will be essential.

Share Your Thoughts

We would like to hear from you.

• Do you believe KAFU is being adequately developed for its host community?
• Should public universities expand to satellite campuses or focus on developing their main campus first?
• How can communities balance their expectations with the national character of public institutions?

For official updates or emergency assistance, residents are advised to contact the relevant authorities.