Govt Closes Down All Kenya Institute of Management Campuses
The regulator accused KIM of offering and awarding academic and professional programmes 'without accreditation'.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) has ordered the immediate closure of the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) and all its campuses across the country, in a sweeping move that throws the status of thousands of certificates into doubt.
In a public notice dated April 20, 2026, and obtained by Vantage Ke, the regulator accused KIM of offering and awarding academic and professional programmes “without accreditation,” despite only being cleared to run courses assessed by TVET-CDACC.
TVETA further flagged what it termed serious legal breaches, stating the institution continued “to offer programs that are not approved and award academic qualifications in contravention of Section 17(3) of the TVET Act,” and “to engage trainers without valid training licenses as required by Section 23(1) of the TVET Act.”
The directive delivers a major blow to current and former students: any certificates, diplomas, or qualifications issued by KIM after 2018 will not be recognised for employment, further studies, or career progression.
Photo of TVETA Director General Timothy Nyongesa. /EDUCATION NEWS
“The public is hereby notified that KIM does not have the legal mandate to award qualifications. Consequently, any certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications obtained from the institution beyond 2018 are not recognized for purposes of employment, further education, or professional advancement,” the notice reads in part.
Invoking Sections 36 and 37 of the TVET Act, TVETA confirmed that KIM’s accreditation has been revoked and all its campuses closed with immediate effect.
"Pursuant to Section 36 and 37 of the TVET Act the accreditation earlier issued to KIM and all its campuses in the Republic of Kenya has been revoked and all KIM campus closed with immediate effect," added the notice.
Kenyans have now been urged to tread carefully. The authority warned prospective students to verify the accreditation status of institutions before enrolling, signaling a broader crackdown on rogue colleges operating outside the law.
This latest action follows a previous warning by TVETA over a surge in institutions issuing unrecognized certificates in Kenya. In a notice dated Tuesday, March 10, the regulator flagged a growing trend of colleges awarding what it described as “internal certificates” without the legal authority to assess or confer nationally recognized qualifications.
TVETA maintained that no institution can offer any training programme without its prior approval, adding that qualifications issued by entities that are not accredited, registered, and licensed under the law remain invalid in Kenya.
The authority stressed that only recognized Qualification Awarding Bodies (QABs) can issue legitimate certificates. Such bodies must be legally established or explicitly authorized to assess and award qualifications in line with the Kenya National Qualifications Framework.
It also clarified that no private TVET institution currently holds accreditation as a QAB. “For an academic certificate to be recognized, the institution awarding it must have the legal mandate, the training programme must be approved by the regulator, and the certificate holder must have met the minimum entry requirements for that qualification,” the authority said.
TVETA urged the public to remain vigilant and verify accreditation before enrolling or paying fees.
This latest move is likely to spark nationwide concern, especially among graduates who may now find their academic credentials invalid overnight—raising fresh questions about oversight in Kenya’s higher education sector and the fate of affected learners.
