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| FILE PHOTO: Students in the library. Technical University of Kenya students lack hostels. |
By Maritim Kipngetich
Having a place to call home is a pleasure to every human
being, but this is not the case with the students of the Technical University
of Kenya, formerly known as Kenya Polytechnic. The University does not have
accommodation facilities and this has made students put up with structures-like
houses found in Landmawe, former homes of the Kenya Railway workers, and the
shanties in Shauri Moyo estate.
Mercy Chebet is a first year student pursuing bachelor‘s
degree in the University and she said she did not know that the University had
no accommodation facilities and she had to look for a relative within the city
to house her for the whole semester.
“I applied the university not knowing that it had no
hostels. I only came to realize later that students are required to look for a
place to live and they should attend classes as early as 7a.m,” she said.
Chebet who had to live with her relative in Shauri Moyo
estate had difficult moments in attending classes since she could not afford to
pay bus fare due to her financial status. She would work by foot to and fro
school everyday.
The estate is about five kilometres from the university.
Chebet is not alone. Other students have been forced to look
for a place to live in places like Industrial Area and South C which is about 7
kilometres from the school. Some have gone to live with their friends in the
University of Nairobi hostels.
It has very few hired hostels in South C, but accommodation crisis
hit the University long ago and nothing has been done to contain the situation.
Though the University, which was a polytechnic for many years, is situated in
the heart of the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi, where space is limited it
should buy a land elsewhere and build hostels for the students.
It is also important to note that the University is the best
technical university in Kenya so far.
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