BEYOND THE CHARTER: WILL RUTO’S PROMISES TO BOMET UNIVERSITY BECOME REALITY?
Bomet University graduates its first class, but a charter is only the beginning. Have Ruto’s promises to Kenya’s universities become tangible results?
Watch Getembe TV Live
Broadcast Getembe TV Live Stream
Listen Getembe FM Live
Tune in to Getembe FM Live Broadcast
When President William Ruto presides over Bomet University’s first graduation ceremony on Friday, October 30, the occasion will mark more than a milestone for a young institution.
It will also offer an opportunity to examine a broader question facing Kenya’s higher education sector: how far have the President’s promises to universities translated into tangible results?
Bomet University received its charter on February 4, 2026, becoming Kenya’s 36th public chartered university. The ceremony will mark its first graduation under its independent university identity, following years of operating as a constituent college of Moi University.
Ruto is expected to attend the ceremony, according to reports announcing the event. His attendance would bring him back to an institution whose growth he publicly pledged to support when awarding its charter.
At the time, the President emphasised the importance of expanding access to higher education and promised continued government support to help the university develop the facilities required to fulfil its mandate.
For Bomet, the immediate priority is to build on the achievement of charter status. But the occasion also raises a wider question about government commitments to higher education: beyond establishing institutions and presiding over ceremonies, what happens when universities need infrastructure, equipment and reliable funding?
Bomet is not the first university to receive specific development commitments from Ruto.
On December 6, 2024, during the 59th graduation ceremony at Scott Christian University in Machakos, the President announced a package of infrastructure improvements for the institution.
The commitments included tarmacking roads within the university, equipping its ICT hub with 100 computers and installing a backup power system and generator to protect learning activities during blackouts.
These were measurable pledges. Their implementation can be assessed by checking whether the roads were completed, whether the computers were delivered and installed, and whether the backup power facilities became operational.
During the same ceremony, Ruto acknowledged the financial difficulties facing the university and said the government owed it KSh460 million under the previous university funding model.
The President said the government was working to address outstanding obligations and improve the financial position of higher education institutions.
The announcements provide a useful comparison with the commitments made to Bomet. In both cases, the government identified practical needs that could affect teaching, learning and institutional growth.
However, the public statements announcing the Scott Christian University commitments do not, on their own, establish whether each project was subsequently completed.
The outstanding question is what the university has received since the announcement. A response from Scott Christian University, supported by procurement records or evidence of completed works, would establish how much of the December 2024 package has been delivered.
The issue extends beyond individual infrastructure projects.
In December 2024, Ruto said public universities were on course to achieve financial stability within three years under the student-centred funding model introduced in 2023. He argued that the model would help institutions overcome the financial difficulties that had accumulated under earlier funding arrangements.
At the time, the President said public universities had accumulated debts exceeding KSh120 billion by 2022 and that 23 of 40 institutions faced the risk of closure.
But subsequent developments have raised fresh questions about whether the funding reforms have delivered the promised relief.
In July 2026, the government announced plans for another overhaul of university financing, proposing full government funding for students admitted to public universities and colleges, subject to the legislative process.
The announcement followed continuing concerns about university debts, delayed disbursements and the gap between institutions’ financial needs and the funding allocated to meet them.
A report published by The Standard on July 25, 2026, citing disclosures before Parliament, put public universities’ pending bills at KSh100.3 billion as of January 31, 2026.
The report also detailed shortfalls in allocations for scholarships, student loans and university capitation during the 2025/26 financial year.
These figures do not mean that every aspect of the funding model has failed. They do, however, show that the sector’s financial difficulties remain a significant policy challenge, despite the reforms introduced to address them.
The proposed new funding framework must therefore be assessed not only by its stated objective of widening access, but also by whether sufficient money is appropriated and released to support students and keep universities operating.
Bomet University’s elevation to full university status is a significant institutional achievement. The university has grown from its beginnings as a constituent college in 2017, expanding its programmes and student population while developing its identity around environmental sustainability.
But a charter does not automatically provide additional lecture halls, modern laboratories, research funding or adequate staffing.
Those outcomes depend on sustained investment, sound institutional management and the availability of resources to support academic programmes.
For a relatively young public university, the challenge is to convert its new status into a stronger learning environment, credible research output and qualifications that prepare graduates for employment and further study.
Ruto’s February commitment to support the institution will be judged against those practical needs over time. The graduation ceremony offers an opportunity for the government and university leadership to explain which developments are planned, how they will be financed and when students can expect to benefit.
It would be premature to conclude that the President’s promise to Bomet has been fulfilled simply because he is expected to attend the ceremony. A visit demonstrates engagement; delivery requires evidence of what has changed on the ground.
The comparison between Bomet University and Scott Christian University illustrates why specific, verifiable commitments matter in education reporting.
Roads can be inspected. Computers can be counted. Backup generators can be tested. Funding allocations can be traced through budget documents, while university debts and completed infrastructure projects can be checked against official records.
Such evidence would help establish which commitments have been fulfilled, which remain in progress and which require further explanation.
For Bomet University, Friday’s graduation should remain a celebration of academic achievement and institutional progress. For the government, it is also an opportunity to demonstrate how support for higher education can extend beyond the awarding of a charter.
Kenya’s universities need more than announcements of new funding models and development pledges. They need predictable financing, functioning facilities and resources that reach students and institutions in practice.
As the graduands prepare to receive their qualifications, the larger question will remain: when the speeches end and the ceremonies are over, what measurable improvements will Kenya’s universities be able to point to?
ADVERTISEMENT
Watch Getembe TV Live
Broadcast Getembe TV Live Stream
Listen Getembe FM Live
Tune in to Getembe FM Live Broadcast
How do you feel about this article?
Let us know by choosing a reaction below.
Written by FRANKLINE NYANDORO
Reporter and staff writer at Getembe News.
Comments 0
Please log in to participate in the comments section.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
Have a news tip?
Do you have an investigation, local story or news event you think we should cover? Contact our newsroom directly.
Submit Tip
Mobile App
Download Getembe Digital App Today
Download Getembe Digital App today for live news updates, breaking notifications, and seamless live streaming.