Garissa University attack survivors report to Moi University

Former students of Garissa University College queue at the Moi University Students Centre in Eldoret to be registered and admitted.

ELDORET: Former Garissa University College students Wednesday reported at the Moi University main campus in Eldoret one and a half months after the terror attack which claimed 148 lives.

The students, who were warmly received by the institution's management and staff, comprised of first and second year students whose learning was cut short after Al shabaab militants attacked their campus in April.

Security was beefed up both at the entrance and inside the institution as the students trooped into the new environment.

Speaking to The Standard at the student's centre where the registration process took place, Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Academic Affairs Prof Nathan Ogechi said they expected 650 students to report to the main campus.

The Prof said all students from Garissa will be hosted inside the main campus adding that all hostel and classrooms arrangements have been made.

"They had paid school fees at the Garissa campus so we are not charging them anything. All we are doing is registering them and providing them with new identity numbers," he said.

The DVC said the group will complete six weeks of study and will have two weeks to do exams on their own before they are officially integrated with the rest of the students upon commencement of another semester.

Concerns raised

He also said the university is aware of the 10 students still recuperating at the hospital and said they too are welcome at the institution once they recover fully.

"It would be prudent for them to defer their studies then join our campus once they are healed," he said.

However, the university's Muslim Students Association raised concern over absenteeism by Muslim students who have allegedly been advised to report to the institution satellite campus at the coast.

Confusion is also looming over the fate of teaching and non-teaching staff from the Garissa campus, who are going to be with the students during this six weeks, since most don't know what their fate is afterwards.