Judge blocks Duale's attempt to scrap MKU oral health degree programme

A Kenyan High Court judge has issued a ruling preventing the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Aden Duale, from unilaterally terminating the oral health degree program offered by Mount Kenya University. The court determined that the minister exceeded his constitutional mandate by attempting to interfere with academic courses that have already received official accreditation. According to the presiding judge, the authority to regulate or scrap university curricula rests with designated educational bodies rather than individual cabinet members. This decision serves as a significant check on executive power regarding the autonomy of higher learning institutions. The university can now continue its operations for the program without further administrative obstruction.

The ruling reinforces the principle of institutional autonomy for universities and clarifies the legal limitations of government officials in overriding academic accreditation processes.