By James Wakahiu
Daniel Sifa Wanje, one of the best students from Kilifin county, has completed his university education through a full scholarship at MKU.
Sifa hit headlines in the dailies after he came out to sell his kidney to support his university education after his parents and community could not raise the required amount.
On Friday, Sifa was among the 5,300 graduates who were awarded degrees, diplomas and certificates from Mount Kenya University upon completion of their education.
Photo/Sifa Wanje
The 26 year old graduated with a Bachelor degree in Clinical Medicine and Community health.
Help to Sifa came calling after he added a medical check up to confirm his organ was in a working condition, after he had negotiated it for Sh500,000.
“In 2017 I came out to sell my kidney to support my education but the MKU chairman Prof Gicharu came to my rescue and am grateful for his gestire and moral support,” said Sifa as he shed tears as he looked at his graduation gown.
He added that the journey to his education had been difficult and the secondary section was the toughest.
“In fact, it had come to an end after I completed high school despite performing well.Without the help of the MKU chairman, my dream of studying clinical medicine would not have come true,” Sifa said.
He recounted how after a year in the university returned to Prof Gicharu office and requested for extra support and renewed the one year one-year scholarship agreement to three more after his parents and relatives could not raise the fees.
Photo/ MKU Founder Prof Simon Gicharu during the 20th graduation where 5,300 graduands graduated
At the same time, MKU Founder has come to the rescue of Nelly Nafula who for 14 years is yet to get a slot in any university despite the qualification to study medicine.
She got an A- and remained frustrated as leaders and education officials got about her plight.
During the 20th graduation, Prof Gicharu announced the awarding of a full scholarship to study at the institution.
Prof Gicharu said the varsity’s Board has agreed to support Nafula by funding her education and providing other emoluments.
“I was touched when I saw her story on TV. I asked myself, how can we as Kenyans allow her to stay at home for so many years just because she was not admitted to a university?,’ she said.
“We will give her a scholarship. This will enable her to actualise her dream,” Gicharu said.
Nafula said she lacked school fees to join university after sitting KCSE exam at Manor High School, Kitale in 2007.
She hoped to be posted by Joint Admissions Board (JAB), which changed its name to Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
The mother of two’s attempts to reach the university placement board have all been in vain despite writing several letters to the government agency.”I did not get my letter at the time I expected it. I went to the principal to raise the issue and I was told that the school had not received my letter from JAB.
“I was also advised to go to Nairobi to ask about the matter but because I could not afford the fare, I wrote a letter to the board through the District Officer in Kitale in 2009. He sent the letter but there was no response,” the mother of two explained how she attempted to solve the crisis.
It has since emerged that Nafula was posted to Moi University to pursue a Bachelor of Tourism.
Preliminary investigations into the case indicate that another student registered at the university using Nafula’s identity in a fraud which might have involved several players in the education sector.
Gicharu of MKUsaid the scholarship will fund Nafula’s tuition fee for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery courses.
Among the corporate social responsibility programmes at the institution is the MKU Foundation which supports bright and needy students.
“The foundation supports these students through its annual Ksh5 million Vice-Chancellor’s scholarships and the Chancellor’s KSh1.5 million scholarships,” Prof David Serem, the MKU University Council chairman, told the congregation.
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