Court to rule Thursday on Moi University graduation dispute

Graduands attend Moi University's graduation ceremony in Uasin Gishu on December 21, 2017. Some students from the School of Information Sciences moved to court after finding their names missing in the graduation list. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The High Court is set to give its verdict Thursday in a case in which Moi University students were locked out of graduation.

Last week, Justice John Mativo declined to temporarily halt the graduation ceremony slated for today.

He, however, directed that the matter be heard and determined in Mombasa during the judges’ conference as it involves nearly 700 students. But only 13 students dragged the matter to court on behalf of the rest.

The students say their names are missing from the graduation list yet they have completed their studies at the institution. In their documents, they claim that they were admitted to Moi University’s School of Information Sciences on various dates between 2015 and 2016 and according to the institution’s schedule of studies, they ought to have graduated in December, 2018.

This is also the date their students’ cards expired. But lecturers’ strikes at the university, which were unforeseen, saw the graduation pushed to today.

While some of the students from the same class are listed to graduate, the petitioners — Violet Ombaka Atieno, Obegi Malak Ochweri, Ndirangu Tabitha, Verah Shawiza Manyonyi, Maureen Kwamboka, Yvonne Akhago Buluma, Omondi Linda Akinyi, John Kamau Muthoni, Sarah Karanja Wanjiku, Jakoyo Paullete Akinyi, Ruth Wamboi Mwangi, Karanja Susan Waithira, and Patience Mbithi Kamutu — are not.

Even though the university claims it is too late for them to be listed for graduation, and that many had huge fee balances and missing marks, the students have been holding onto the hope that the court will have the institution compelled to include them in the graduation list.