Even as the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) grapples with serious financial hurdles, the institution is pushing back against a wave of online misinformation that threatened to disrupt its academic calendar.
A fake document claiming that the university would shut down for three months began circulating on social media this week, sparking confusion among students and staff. The false notice cited insolvency and a directive from Parliament as the basis for a full closure starting April 21.
But TUK’s administration swiftly responded, calling the viral message a fabrication and reaffirming the university’s continued operations. “Treat this document circulated online as FAKE. The University has not been closed. Classes and normal operations are on,” the institution said in an official statement.
The fake document, styled as a formal memo and bearing the name of Deputy Vice Chancellor Benedict Mutua, falsely claimed that access to the university would be restricted and operations halted indefinitely. It also stated that the university would “remain closed for three months, or until a satisfactory agreement has been reached on the way forward.”
Although the statement was false, its timing wasn’t random. Just two days earlier, a Parliamentary Committee declared the institution insolvent, citing a Ksh12 billion debt a revelation that may have lent credibility to the fake post for some.
The university’s leadership, however, has made it clear that despite the financial strain, TUK is not closing its doors. Their main concern now lies not just in managing the financial fallout, but also in countering the damage caused by the rapid spread of misinformation online.
