University risk managers are faced with daunting challenge of identifying and managing the complex risks across their campuses. The present study perceived that poor risk management practices among universities in Kenya and the far wide could reduce if there is an all-inclusive risk management practice structures. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the risk management practices among universities located in western region, Kenya. The study explored the University risk management practices of selected Universities in Western Kenya, to find out the significant difference between the practices of risk management in public and private Universities and to find out the risk management challenges that face universities in western region of Kenya. The study was guided by risk management theory, theory of planned behaviour and disaster theory. This research used a descriptive study design where primary data was collected through self-administered questionnaires from 78 key respondents (administrators, school deans, heads of departments, and security teams) in two public and two private universities. Major findings revealed that Security, Fire, Natural, and Transportation risk management is practiced but not to a great extent that is expected in universities with means of (2.914, 2.772, 2.8837 and 2.9551), which are due to challenges of education and training, resources, cost, and commitment. From independent t-test to compare the risk management practices in public and private universities, there was no significant difference between the practice of management of security risk, fire risk, and natural risk in public and private universities with p values of 0.066, 0.697 and 0.263. Public universities managed transportation risk better than private universities with a p value of 0.005. It is recommended that the universities develop strategies towards excellent implementation of security risk, fire risk, natural risk and transportation risk.