Alego–Usonga leaders have accused the Siaya County Government of frustrating Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) by denying it land for its Siaya town campus, a move they say has triggered plans to shut down the campus and relocate students.
Alego–Usonga MP Samuel Atandi said the closure will not only inconvenience learners but also cripple the local economy.
He urged both the county administration and other relevant authorities to reverse the decision.
Speaking at rallies in North and South East Alego wards, Atandi revealed that the university’s vice chancellor had communicated plans to shut the campus located at the Siaya Farmers Training Centre.
“The reason being that the land on which the campus is sitting belongs to the county government, which has another programme for it,” said Atandi, who also chairs the national assembly’s budget committee.
READ ALSO:
Atandi claimed the county government plans to construct a new headquarters on the site, forcing the university to relocate. He noted that his appeals to Governor James Orengo to release the land to JOOUST had failed.
“We met in Nairobi together with the entire leadership of Siaya and implored Governor James Orengo to consider retaining that land for the sake of the expansion of the university instead of the county headquarters, but it seems the governor is not listening,” he said.
The MP warned that ignoring the people’s preference for a university over county offices risked painting the governor as heavy-handed.
“Listen to us. Don’t be autocratic. You always say you are a democrat, but on this one, you are becoming a dictator,” Atandi told Orengo.
On his part, Siaya Township MCA Obiero Otare urged calm, saying an agreement had already been reached between JOOUST and the county government.
Otare, who chairs the county assembly lands committee, clarified that during a May meeting, the university requested 30 acres of land to remain in Siaya town.
“Siaya FTC land is 50 acres, and the county government agreed to surrender 35 acres to JOOUST,” he said, adding that the Part Development Plan (PDP) had been prepared and forwarded to the National Lands Commission.
Despite these assurances, anxiety persists among residents and the Siaya business community, who fear economic decline if the students leave. Landlords have already reported receiving notices from tenants planning to vacate by the end of the year.
By Joseph Mambili
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
