Institutions turn to private hostels to house students

By Joel Okwayo and Mangoa Mosota

ODM’s Orange House in Kakamega is one of the buildings that have been converted into hostels to cater for a rising student population.

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology has rented the building that still bears the party colours and partitioned it for its students.

Kenya Medical Training College in Kakamega has also made similar arrangements with building owners.

About 20 buildings have become hostels for students in Kakamega town. Some of the hostels are Valley View, which used to be a private school, Sichirayi, Palm Leaf, Mama Sarah, Makuti, Holy Rose, Comrades, Scheme, Oxford and Hillside.

Rules And Regulations

Other houses serving as hostels in the town are Mjumbe, Jolosa and Lamorna.

Lamorna is along the Kakamega-Mumias road and is occupied by women students. Four students share a room. The building also hosts other business premises.

The proprietor of the hostel, Mr Shabanji Opuka, says there are rules and guidelines for students. They pay Sh2,500 every month for their accommodation, inclusive of water and power.

At Mama Sarah hostel, which is located at Sichirayi in Lurambi, students pay Sh6,500 per semester.

Hostel Manager Richard Magero says the rules and regulations are the same with those at Masinde Muliro University.

For example, he says cohabiting and night meetings are not allowed.

A student, Ms Maureen Auma, says she has been staying in one of the hostels for the last three years.

Auma, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication, says the accommodation is ideal.

She says the necessary requirements for a student are provided.

At Palm Leaf Hostels, located along the Webuye-Kakamega road, students pay between Sh5,000 and Sh7,000 per semester.

Students in block A, which hosts women, pay Sh7,000 per semester. Male students stay in block B and pay Sh5,000.

Living Cost

In Kisumu, Students in Maseno, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, University of Nairobi and Catholic University have to compete for limited space in private hostels.

Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and Young Men’s Christian Association accommodate most students.

YWCA charges Sh450 per bed, in a room with capacity of five.

"We also have single and doubles, where we charge Sh550 per bed. For a man and woman seeking accommodation together, they must be married," says the manager Ms Judith Ayieko.

Ms Jane Aoko is a student at the Kenya Institute of Management. She pays Sh5,000 per month for accommodation at YWCA.

Maseno University, situated about 30km from Kisumu, has about 4, 000 students. About 500 are accommodated in private hostels at Maseno township.

The university’s Director of Public Relations Owen McOnyango says students are secure at the hostels.

The proprietor of Ounga Commercial Agencies, Mr Eric Ounga, says there is shortage of hostels in the town, which has a population of more than 500,000 residents.

There is big potential in hostels investments in the town," says Ounga.