This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
On August 27, 2019, the High Court delivered a significant judgment in favor of 13 students from Moi University who had sued the institution over various grievances.
The students, who had been locked out of the university's 38th Graduation Ceremony, claimed that some lecturers had intentionally failed to release their marks to push for pay and allowances.
According to the university, the students had huge fee balances and missing marks. However, the students maintained that the university's claims were baseless.
As a result, the students decided to take the matter to court and won their case. The High Court ordered Moi University to cover the costs of the petition and pay each of the students Sh50,000 each in damages.
One student, who had vied in campus elections last year, revealed that the school administration had been opposed to his candidacy. His name was removed from the ballot on claims that he had not cleared his school fee, despite having a balance of Sh4,000.
He alleged that the balance was planted and that the administration had him kicked out to pave way for a relatively weaker candidate.
His story highlights the need for students to explore alternative options, such as taking institutions to court, instead of resorting to strikes every time.
