Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has commended Kabarak University for its ambitious plan to transition fully to green energy, saying the move positions the institution as a continental leader in the global fight against climate change.
Speaking as the Chief Guest during the university’s 21st graduation ceremony, the former Head of State described the move as a visionary step that aligns with global shifts toward sustainability.
"This is a major milestone that shows Kabarak University is at the forefront of what the world is looking at today. The institution is leading the way in demonstrating how our abundant natural resources can generate power, not only to run the the campus but also to drive innovation," Uhuru said.
The university’s green energy roadmap features an extensive solar infrastructure project aimed at taking the institution entirely off-grid. Once completed, the initiative will cover Kabarak University and its sister institutions—Moi High School-Kabarak and Moi Primary and Junior School-Kabarak.
Kabarak University Chancellor Gideon Moi said the first phase of the transition will be commissioned next year, providing reliable, clean power to support uninterrupted learning and advanced research.
"This reinforces our ambition to lead in sustainable education in Africa, pioneering initiatives of this kind in Sub-Saharan Africa by reducing our carbon footprint and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals," Gideon said.
He said providing clean energy for education is part of advancing practical approaches to innovative and smart renewable investments.
"With this renewable foundation, we are now exploring AI innovations powered by stable solar energy to enhance research, teaching, and real-world solutions. We are positioning ourselves as a vibrant AI hub driven by impact,” he noted.
Gideon also urged partners to adopt sustainable practices and innovations.
"Together, let’s harness the sun to power our minds and embrace AI to build a more equitable future,” he said.
Although Kenya is well-positioned globally to bypass the heavily polluting industrial stage of development, many learning institutions have yet to transition to renewable energy.
Currently, renewable sources supply more than 90 per cent of the country’s electricity, driven by significant investments in geothermal, hydropower, and solar energy.
Kabarak University Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Kiplagat praised the Competency-Based Education reforms as a system that strongly embraces innovation.
"As a system that encourages new ideas to tackle today’s challenges, we must expose learners to rigorous entrepreneurial and innovation assessments while fostering partnerships that support them through mentorship and market linkages," he said.
He said the institution has invested heavily in research, supporting students to patent and copyright their groundbreaking innovations, while also commercialising some of the products they develop.
“Every morning, an idea wakes up in a student’s mind. It knows it must be faster, sharper, and more practical than today’s challenges, or it will wither away. At the same time, a market wakes up, hungry for these solutions. To ensure our students lead this race, we have been preparing them to outpace the world,” Prof. Kiplagat said.
This year, the university received recognition in multiple categories, both regionally and internationally. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings named it the best university in the country and fifth overall.
Regionally, it earned the East African Community Regional Quality Awards’ top honour as the EAC Company of the Year. The institution was also recognised for its excellence in education, service delivery, and organisational performance across the region.
The university was also named Company of the Year in the Large Enterprise category by the Kenya Bureau of Standards and won the Service of the Year award under the Private Large Enterprise category.
“This institution has grown to receive global recognition, just as envisioned by Kabarak’s founder, the late President Moi. Today, we celebrate growth and success,” said Dr. John Kibosia, chairman of the University Governing Council.
