University Ordered to Pay Student Ksh3 Million After Removing Her Name From Graduation List

The University of Nairobi has been ordered to compensate a student with Ksh 3 million by the High Court for violating her constitutional rights to be enrolled in the university by dropping her from the graduation list on the day of her graduation.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi held that there was no fair administrative action meted out to Marcelline Murono Juma when UON reversed her graduation clearance without notifying her or allowing her to be heard.

The ruling in Juma v University of Nairobi KEHC 13006 (KLR) was announced on August 20th, 2026, following events that occurred during the university’s 70 th graduation ceremony in December 2023.

According to court documents, Juma had been cleared to graduate and issued with a graduation gown.

She also attended the official rehearsal the previous day, where her seat had been marked with her name.

But on graduation morning, her name was missing from the final list.

The court heard that Juma discovered the change through a class WhatsApp group.

Justice Mugambi found that the university’s actions violated Article 47 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to fair administrative action.

The judge held that the university should have notified Juma and allowed her to respond before making a decision that adversely affected her.

The court also found that UoN had created a legitimate expectation that Juma would graduate after clearing her, issuing her a gown and seating her at the rehearsal.

Her right to dignity was also found to have been violated, with the court taking into account the family and friends she had invited to the ceremony.

The court awarded Juma Ksh 3 million in damages and Ksh 24,000 in special damages.

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UoN Court Ruling Details

UoN was further ordered to issue her with an unqualified apology within 30 days, and if the university fails to comply, the damages award will rise to Ksh 4 million.

The judge also dismissed the university’s argument that Juma should first have exhausted its internal mechanisms, finding that the remedies “existed only on paper.”

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UoN Legal Ruling

EMS Law LLP, which shared the judgment, said the ruling sends a wider message to institutions handling decisions that affect people’s rights.

“The lesson for every institution, public or private: a decision affecting someone’s rights demands notice, a hearing, and fair process,” the firm said.

The University of Nairobi had not publicly commented on the judgment at the time of filing.

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University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Prof. Ayub Njoroge Gitau. PHOTO/ UoN