Dedan Kimathi University students' body turns down Ksh.180 share of Ruto's Ksh.1M donation

The Dedan Kimathi University of Technology Student Organization (DeKUTSO) has distanced itself from the institution administration's decision to split Ksh.1 million donated by President William Ruto equally among all undergraduate students present this semester.

The student leaders' body stated that the decision was made without their input, hence they strongly condemn the move.

“The decision was made without our input and we strongly disagree with the decision, therefore we treat this as an act of undermining the students’ leadership body,” read the statement signed by DeKUTSO Secretary General Nicholas Ngetich.

This follows a memo from the Directorate of Students' Welfare on Tuesday announcing that each of the students would get an equal allocation of Ksh.180 from the Head of State’s Ksh.1 million gift.

According to Esther Nthiga, the Director of Student Affairs, the university made the decision after conducting public participation among the students via a Google form.

She revealed that 51% of the students said the money should be shared equally, 36.5% chose a luncheon, while 35.5 wanted the money to go to the students' bursary.

"Following the outcome of the public participation, it has been decided that every undergraduate student during the January-April 2024 semester, including students who are on internal attachment during the semester will be given Ksh.180," Nthiga said in the memo.

All class representatives were hence asked to inform their students to collect the money from the Directorate office from Friday 9 through to Friday 19, upon which whatever remains will be channelled to students' bursary.