A variety of business activities in Njoro have been brought to a halt following the recent closure of Egerton University.
According to observations by sources, many business ventures around the university have either closed down or are registering very low income. The university’s management decided to close down the university indefinitely after students rioted and destroyed property worth millions of money last weekend in protest of alleged harsh examination rules.
Some of the business ventures affected include; food kiosks, groceries, computer bureaus, butcheries, beauty centres, vegetable and fruit kiosks, pubs and taxi operators.
A spot-check at major business centres within and without the university showed few activities as compared to when students are in session while a section of business operators who talked to our writer said that they were not doing good business following the closure of the university.
A food kiosk operator at Njokerio village Joseph Kimani said he had since closed down his kiosk following the closure of the university because most of his customers are university students. Kimani said on normal days when students are in session he earns about Sh2,000 as profit.
“I will have to wait until the university opens again to start doing good business. For now there is nothing much to do. I will do some farming in the meantime,” said Kimani.
Another affected businessperson Pauline Auko who sells vegetables and fruits in the same village said she can no longer get Sh5,000 per week as profit out of the sales of her vegetables and fruits to students.
“I depend on students to do business. I pray that the university opens soon. But it may not be so this year as Christmas is just at the corner,’’ said Auko adding that she will close down her business and travel to her rural home in Oyugis for the time being.