Half of new UoN hostels to host medical students: The University of Nairobi in conjunction with the private investment group, PIDG has set out to construct new hostels in a public-private partnership. Students pursuing medicine at the university will take up half of the 4,000 new beds to be included in the hostels. The beds that are in the two medical campuses (Chiromo and Kenyatta) are fully occupied.
The investment by the Private Infrastructure Group (PIDG) and the university will ensure that the number of beds in Chiromo and Kenyatta medical will increase by 1,000 each while the capacity at the main campus will increase by 2,000 beds. The university says that students have the greatest need for accommodation since they need to be close to hospitals from where they get clinical training.
“The proposed project is… an additional 4,000 beds, 50% of which will be made available for the exclusive use of medical students, thus contributing to the critical area of medical education and the associated healthcare sector,” the UoN said in a tender document.
In terms of gender mix, 54% of the capacity will be dedicated to the use of male students exclusively, 34% for female students, and 11% for mixed-use, the institution said.
CEO of the Private Investment Group Phillip Vauhu stated that a feasibility study will be conducted through a transaction advisor and if confirmed feasible via the PPP model, the necessary support to the contracting authority will be provided.
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Kenya’s premier university currently has a total capacity of 9,863 beds across eight campuses, with 5,386 beds for males, 3,346 beds for females, and 1,131 beds in mixed-use hostels.
The university says they will strive to ensure that the new hostels become affordable to students currently paying less than the KSHs. 7,500 minimum monthly rent for modern units built by private developers.
“However, rental tariffs in public universities are currently paying less than the KSHs. 7,500 that the market survey suggests,” the document reads.