Panic has gripped Trans Nzoia County after the successive closure of three universities - Kisii University, Mt Kenya University (MKU) and Moi University Kitale campuses.

Kisii has had its Kitale campuses in Trans Nzoia relocated to Kapenguria in the neighboring West Pokot County while students at MKU campus have been moved to Eldoret campus in Uasin Gishu County.

Moi University’s Kitale Campus has also ordered students at the facility to Eldoret town-based West Campus.

The three universities have decried low enrolment and high operational cost as the factors that have pushed the administrations to close the campuses.

“Apart from the new regulations by former Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr Fred Matiang’i, the closure was prompted by low student population. We had less than 200 students and high operation costs,” said a university official who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media as quoted by the .

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Details have further emerged that the Kisii University management had held talks with the West Pokot County officials ahead of the decision. The University is understood to be making its way to having the campus fully fledged.

“There was positive talk between the management of the university and the county government who intend to turn the campus to a fully-fledged university in the future,” the official added as quoted by the Standard.

Meanwhile, for Moi University, over 400 students from departments of Education, Arts, Business and Economic and Information Science are set to be affected by the sudden decision by management.