NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has urged closer collaboration between universities, students, and state security agencies to tackle growing security and welfare challenges in institutions of higher learning.
Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo said universities are facing an alarming rise in drug and substance abuse, gender-based violence, mental health issues, and student unrest — problems he described as a ‘wake-up call’ requiring urgent, coordinated action.
“To think that such cases are being experienced within our institutions of higher learning is a wake-up call — a clear indication that something has gone terribly amiss,” said Dr. Omollo. “We must find sustainable and collective solutions to restore safety, dignity, and trust in our learning environments.”
He spoke at the Jukwaa la Wasomi: Deans of Students Convention and Security Agencies Summit, held at the University of Nairobi.
The forum, organised by the Universities and Colleges Peace Association of Kenya (UCSPAK) in collaboration with the State Department for Internal Security, is part of the ongoing Jukwaa la Usalama national dialogue series spearheaded by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
The meeting brought together deans of students, university leaders, security officials, and student representatives to discuss practical ways to strengthen campus safety and youth welfare.
Dr. Omollo cited recent statistics showing that 36 percent of Kenyans have experienced sexual or gender-based violence, calling the figure “quite significant” and reflective of a deeper social crisis that extends into campuses.
He underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening youth participation in peacebuilding and improving safety standards in universities nationwide.
The PS also commended deans of students for being at the frontlines of student welfare, often serving as first responders in cases involving academic stress, relationship problems, or mental health crises.
“You start very early and stop very late, because as a Dean of Students, you handle all manner of cases,” he said. “When a student is in distress — whether due to academic pressure, family problems, or mental health struggles — you are always the first to engage, listen, and guide.”
Dr. Omollo urged universities to strengthen early warning systems, expand counselling and peer-support networks, and adopt proactive strategies to curb emerging threats to student wellbeing.
