The indefinite closure of Kisumu National Polytechnic announced on Friday has cast a spotlight on an institution grappling with more than just student unrest over fees. Behind the official communiqués lies a story of mistrust, simmering tribal politics, and a Principal whose leadership has become a lightning rod for discontent.
The Official Announcement
In a statement issued after a special meeting, the Interim Council explained its decision:
“This is to notify all staff and trainees that the Interim Council of The Kisumu National Polytechnic held a meeting on Friday 19th September, 2025 and resolved vide Minute 06/19/09/2025 to close the institution with immediate effect following disruptions, demonstrations and boycotting of classes by trainees since Monday 15th September, 2025; preceded by various allegations against the Management by the Kisumu National Polytechnic Students Association (KINAPOSA).”
The Council advised students to remain calm and vacate the premises until further notice.
“All trainees are advised to maintain peace and stay away from the Polytechnic premises pending further communication on the dates when classes will resume,” the statement added.
Interestingly, while students were ordered out, staff were directed to keep reporting to work “unless advised otherwise.”
The Student Narrative: Fees or Something Deeper?
KINAPOSA insists the protests were triggered by fee hikes and increased charges for accommodation, which they described as punitive to struggling students. Since Monday, September 15, demonstrations, sit-ins, and class boycotts spread across the campus, paralyzing learning.
But as the unrest intensified, chants and placards quickly shifted from “Fees Down” to “Principal Must Go.” Student leaders, speaking off the record, claimed that the real bone of contention is not money—but what they describe as a leadership crisis at the top.
One student leader told this reporter:
“The fee hike was the spark, but the fire is about something bigger. There are grievances of bias, favoritism, and tribal exclusion. Many of us feel the Principal is not running the Polytechnic for all, but for a few. That is why the protests will not stop until there is change at the top.”
The Tribal Angle
Insiders say the Principal, Mrs. Catherine Kayesi Kelonye, has increasingly been accused of sidelining staff and students from certain ethnic groups in appointments, bursary allocations, and disciplinary actions. While no official report confirms these claims, the allegations resonate strongly with a section of the student body who view the administration as “tribally skewed.”
This perception has fueled resentment, making the fee issue just the surface of a much deeper wound. Critics argue that unless the tribal dimension is openly addressed, the Polytechnic’s closure may be prolonged.
Political Overtones
The unrest has also caught the attention of local leaders, some of whom are privately pushing for the Principal’s removal, framing the matter as a failure of inclusivity. Others defend the embattled head, dismissing the protests as opportunistic and politically engineered.
What is clear, however, is that the Polytechnic is now a political battleground—mirroring the wider national trend where institutions of learning become proxies for tribal and regional power contests.
A Familiar Pattern of Unrest
The closure at Kisumu Polytechnic comes barely a week after St George’s Girls’ Secondary School in Nairobi was also shut down following violent student protests. That incident was sparked by allegations that a teacher physically assaulted a student for stepping out to watch a lunar eclipse. The protests spiraled into all-night unrest, drawing in parents, police, and education officials.
The similarities are striking: fee hikes in Kisumu and corporal punishment in Nairobi may look like isolated triggers, but in both cases, the unrest was rooted in deeper dissatisfaction with school leadership and governance.
The Council’s Balancing Act
In its communique, the Kisumu Polytechnic Council struck a conciliatory tone:
“The Council affirms that the inconvenient circumstances are highly regrettable and wishes to assure all the affected trainees, parents and guardians that the concerns raised will be investigated and addressed expeditiously with a view to resume normalcy to the operations of the Polytechnic.”
But critics doubt whether a Council largely seen as aligned with management can credibly address accusations of tribal favoritism. For now, the Council seems content to frame the matter narrowly as a “student-management standoff over fees,” avoiding the more explosive ethnic narrative.
What Lies Ahead?
Thousands of students now find themselves stranded, their academic calendar disrupted indefinitely. Parents are frustrated by the lack of clear timelines. Staff remain in a delicate position, torn between loyalty to management and sympathy for students’ grievances.
At the heart of it all is a Principal whose legitimacy is being openly challenged—not just over finances, but over accusations of tribal bias. Unless this elephant in the room is confronted, Kisumu National Polytechnic risks not only prolonged closure, but a permanent fracture of trust between management and the student body.
For now, the official line is that Kisumu National Polytechnic closed due to riots over fee hikes. The reality, however, is far more complex: tribal politics, allegations of favoritism, and a crisis of leadership have turned the institution into a flashpoint—one where the Principal himself may be the ultimate casualty.
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