The Technical University of Kenya (TUK) has denied allegations that the institution will be closed for three months, just two days after it was declared insolvent.
Addressing a viral statement circulating on social media, the university's leadership warned Kenyans to dismiss it as fake, assuring that it remained open and fully operational.
"Treat this document circulated online as FAKE. The University has not been closed. Classes and normal operations are on," the statement read in part.
The fake statement falsely claimed that the university had notified its staff, students, and stakeholders that normal operations would cease from Monday, April 21, due to the university's closure.
"Following the declaration of insolvency by Parliament and the institution's financial crisis, this is to notify all students, staff, and stakeholders that TUK shall be closed with effect from Monday, April 21," the fake statement read in part.
"The university will remain closed for three months, or until a satisfactory agreement has been reached on the way forward," the fake statement continued.
The statement, allegedly issued by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Benedict Mutua, also prohibited students, staff, and stakeholders from accessing the premises.
The alleged closure follows a declaration by the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Administration on Thursday, which declared the University insolvent due to a Ksh12 billion debt crisis.
According to the committee, the debt has been a longstanding issue, plaguing the institution since 2013. The university's administration had appeared before the committee to explain the deteriorating financial situation at the institution.
Both former and current administrators were questioned about claims that some university staff had not received their full salaries since the university was chartered in 2013.
“Since 2013, to tell the truth, no TUK employee has received a full salary," Mutua revealed.
According to the DVC, the institution is unable to meet salary obligations because it has overstretched its employment capabilities and hired more staff than necessary. The financial strain has made it impossible to meet its salary commitments.
