Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has cast doubt on President William Ruto's pledge to fully fund university and college education, questioning whether the ambitious proposal is a genuine education reform or a politically timed promise ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, July 22, Odhiambo argued that while universal access to higher education is a worthy national goal, the government has yet to explain how it will finance a programme expected to cost tens of billions of shillings annually.
Her remarks inject fresh political scrutiny into one of the government's biggest education announcements, coming barely a day after Ruto pledged that all students admitted to universities and colleges would receive full government funding from September 2026.
The debate now shifts to Parliament, where lawmakers must determine whether universal higher education funding is fiscally sustainable or another ambitious promise facing difficult economic realities.
Odhiambo Questions Timing of Ruto's Promise
Odhiambo suggested the announcement raises legitimate questions, particularly after years of criticism surrounding the government's Variable Scholarship and Loan Funding Model.
"The promise that university will now be free for all sounds like progress, but when it comes months to an election, after years of complaints about a broken funding model, Kenyans are entitled to ask, is this policy or politics?" she said.
Her comments echo concerns already emerging from education stakeholders who have questioned whether the government can sustainably finance universal higher education while public universities continue grappling with severe financial distress.
The remarks also come against the backdrop of mounting fiscal pressure, rising public debt and Treasury efforts to contain government spending.
Calls for Costing Before Legislation
According to Odhiambo, the government should first table a comprehensive financing framework before asking Parliament to approve the proposed reforms.
She argued that if the previous differentiated funding model struggled because of inadequate financing, Kenyans deserve clear projections showing how the new system will avoid the same pitfalls.
Odhiambo called on the government to publish implementation costs, identify funding sources and explain how universal education would be financed without undermining other essential public services.
She also urged Parliament to demand detailed financial projections before considering amendments to higher education laws.
In addition, she insisted that the reforms should be anchored in a credible legal framework developed through meaningful public participation rather than political declarations.
Government Defends Universal Funding
President Ruto announced on Tuesday that every student who qualifies for admission to a university or college will receive full government funding once Parliament passes the necessary legislation.
The reforms will replace the current Variable Scholarship and Loan Funding Model and are expected to be implemented through the proposed Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA), which will absorb the functions currently performed by HELB, the Universities Fund and the TVET Fund.
The President defended the policy by acknowledging that the existing funding model had failed to adequately finance universities, leaving institutions facing severe financial constraints.
However, critics argue that replacing one funding model with another without demonstrating how it will be sustainably financed risks creating even bigger challenges for Kenya's higher education sector.
As Parliament prepares to debate the proposed legislation, the government's education reforms are increasingly evolving into both a fiscal and political test, with lawmakers expected to weigh the promise of universal access against the realities of Kenya's strained public finances.
