Colleges to benefit in Sh4b funding deal with Germany

President Uhuru Kenyatta, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Deputy President William Ruto at the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology during the launch of the youth empowerment programme yesterday. [PSCU]

Local technical colleges will benefit from over Sh4.294 billion (39.4 million euros) funding by the governments of Kenya and Germany.

Those targeted in the first phase of the youth empowerment plan are Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Thika Institute of Technology and Nairobi Institute of Technology.

The money will be used to support their automotive, body building engineering, welding and mechatronics engineering departments.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who spoke when they toured KIST in Kiambu yesterday, said the programme will equip the youth with requisite skills to enable them contribute towards the country’s development.

President Kenyatta termed the programme a big boost to the quest to empower its youth with technical know-how needed to grow the economy and enable them secure gainful employment in the competitive job environment.

“Today, our quest to foster skills development in Kenya once again gains greater momentum, as we unveil the partnership between the Government of Kenya and the Federal Republic of Germany,” the president said.

“These courses will address unemployment and better national development,” Mr Kenyatta added. 

The second phase will be worth 1.424 billion (13 million euros) out of which Germany will contribute Sh1.314 billion (12 million euros).  

Kitale National Polytechnic, Bumbe Technical Training Institute, Ekerubo Gietai and Ramogi Institute of Applied Science are the beneficiaries of the second phase that will cover building and civil works, energy and ICT subject areas. 

President Steinmeier said he’s impressed by the by the education offered to students considering the magnitude of challenges faced by the 800,000 Kenyans who enter the job market every year.

“This partnership aims at jointly tackling one of the greatest challenges Kenya is facing today, creating gainful employment for young people,” Steinmeier said.

Last year, Germany threatened to walk out of a Sh2.2 billion deal following a dispute over the 70 acres that KIST sits on. There were reports the land had been grabbed.