This archive report was first published on 10 May 2021.
JKUAT PhD students are facing unprecedented challenges due to the introduction of strict rules by the School of Business Dean, Florence Memba. The rules, which were introduced in 2019, have retroactively affected students who began their PhD programs in 2017 and 2013.
According to students who spoke to Kenya Insights, the dean has threatened to sabotage their chances of graduating if they do not comply with the new rules. The students claim that they have made significant progress in their research and have even published journals, but are now being forced to start over due to the new requirements.
The students have raised concerns that the rules are being applied retroactively, which is unfair to those who have already invested time and money in their studies. They have also accused the dean of being vindictive and of threatening students who speak out against the rules.
One student who wished to remain anonymous said, "The new dean who has come in is frustrating students and even victimizing those who complain of her newly introduced rules. It is obvious some of us will not be able to graduate due to the new dean. She has actually threatened some people that they will not graduate and that they have wasted their fees."
Another student added, "We students have asked her, why introduce the procedures and affect us who are at the end. She says it's the Cue guidelines, we say ok, then let us do all these presentations that you require once or even weekly and get our 'intent' letter she refuses. It has come to a point of some of us being told we simply wasted our fees, we won't graduate."
Some of the affected students have taken the school and dean to court over the frustrations, and are calling on the JKUAT, Ministry of Education, and Higher Learning Board to look into the matter.
