Duncan Kibet Secures MKU Admission After 200km Walk to Raise Tuition Fees

After an 11-year break since completing high school and a grueling 200-kilometer walk to raise funds for his university education, Duncan Kibet’s story stands as a powerful testament to courage, resilience, and the transformative power of education.

The 27-year-old from Bomet County has now received unconditional admission to Mount Kenya University (MKU), marking a major milestone in his long and determined journey toward higher education.

Kibet completed his secondary education in 2015 but was unable to join a university due to financial constraints.

For over a decade, he held onto his dream despite repeatedly encountering setbacks.

“For 11 straight years, the thirst for education has never faded,” he said during his journey.

Raised by a single mother and with other siblings already pursuing university education, Kibet made a selfless decision to put his own ambitions on hold.

His younger brother had scored an A-minus in KCSE and secured admission to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

“I saw that he already had scored a very good grade. He had done an A-minus and everybody was joyful,” Kibet said.

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“So me too, with that brother, I really love him. So I felt that he should proceed and I’ll come.”

To support his brother, Kibet took up manual jobs to help meet his sibling’s basic needs while at university.

The 200-Kilometer Walk to Nairobi

Determined to finally change his own fate, Kibet embarked on a daring over 200-kilometer walk from Bomet to Nairobi in a bid to raise awareness and attract sponsorship for his university education.

“I started at 5.33 am from Bomet. I made it all the way to Narok,” he recounted.

The journey was anything but easy.

“It was a very tough challenge because by that time I had no money on me. So the only time I got some support from a friend to be able to buy food when I was at Ololunga. So I traveled about, I think about 50 kilometers or so.”

Kibet began the trek on January 28, 2026 and took four days to arrive in Nairobi.

Throughout the walk, he documented his journey on social media, updating Kenyans on both the physical and emotional toll of the challenge.

“I’ve passed the Narok Kiangare,” he shared at one point.

“I’ve passed Ololunga.”

As his story gained traction online, well-wishers began sending him money for food, refreshments, and accommodation.

“So people realized that I was serious in the challenge and people kept calling me, people kept sending me something to buy food,” he said.

At one point, exhausted and dehydrated near the Sosowei Bridge, he broke down after receiving help from a stranger.

“I remember a moment I made it, I was at this old satellite around, just towards the Sosowei Bridge and I ran out of water. So I kept stopping cars, people whom I didn’t know. So this guy asked me, what are you doing along the road? And you look very tired. So this guy gave me water.”

Funds Raised and University Admission

Despite the demanding journey and widespread attention, Kibet managed to raise only Ksh 12,000, most of it contributed through a WhatsApp group.

However, he maintained that the primary goal of the walk was not necessarily the money, but to attract a sponsor willing to support his university education.

“I only got admission, but I don’t have the fees to join. And the admission is expected to be onthe  9th, tomorrow,” he said at the time.

Kibet has since secured admission to Mount Kenya University (MKU).

The university has also offered him accommodation at the MKU hostels as he completes his admission requirements.

He is set to pursue a Bachelor’s degree, finally stepping into a future he has waited more than a decade to begin.

A Story of Hope and Resilience

Kibet’s journey has inspired many Kenyans, highlighting the determination of young people who refuse to give up on education despite financial hardship.

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His story is a reminder that dreams may be delayed, but they do not have to be denied.

As he prepares to report to MKU, supporters continue to rally behind him in hopes that he will fully secure the financial backing needed to complete his studies.

“Let’s join hands and support Duncan as he begins this new academic journey. His determination reminds us that no dream is too distant when the spirit is willing.” Tweet from MKU

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Mount Kenya University Building structure. PHOTO/File