Parliamentary watchdog pledge to push for stalled Sh834.5 m varsity library

The Senate during a previous session. [File, Standard]

A parliamentary committee has committed to lobby for funds to complete the construction of the Sh834.5 million library at the University of Kabianga that has stalled for seven years.

Construction of the library commenced on June 8, 2017, with an expected completion date of June 4, 2020.

Despite three extensions granted to the contractor, the project remains incomplete more than seven years later, with progress standing at only 72 per cent.

The university has attributed the delays to inadequate and irregular government funding.

The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education said they will push for adequate funding through the Departmental Committee on Education.

Speaking after inspecting the project, the committee chairperson, Bumula MP Wanami Wamboka, said his committee will ensure that the facility is completed.

ALSO READ: Parliament watchdog casts doubt on Big Four

“We are nonetheless going to lobby parliament through the Departmental Committee on Education so that this institution is given enough resources to complete the project,” said Wamboka.

At the same time, the committee urged public universities to devise sustainable income-generating initiatives instead of over-relying on government funding.

Wamboka emphasised that no new projects will be approved in public universities until ongoing ones are fully completed.

The committee also raised concerns highlighted in the Auditor-General’s report, citing cases of procurement irregularities and financial impropriety in several universities.

“We encourage vice-chancellors and accounting officers to take full charge of their institutions. A lot of money is being lost through procurement and finance loopholes. University leaders must seal these gaps and strictly adhere to the law,” added Wamboka.

University of Kabianga Vice-Chancellor Prof. Erick Koech, flanked by Deputy Vice-Chancellors Prof. Maurice Oduor (Academic Planning and Research) and Prof. Isaac Naibei (Administration and Finance), outlined some of the institution’s efforts to enhance sustainability and innovation.

Prof. Koech revealed that the university is awaiting a patent for its pineapple wine innovation to enable large-scale production. He further highlighted ongoing research in “green leather” technology, pioneered by one of the university’s lecturers and presented at an international forum in Malaysia.

Prof. Oduor noted that the university has also revised its curriculum to include common courses in entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity to better prepare students for today’s job market.

On his part, Prof. Naibei reiterated that the University of Kabianga is working towards becoming more self-sustaining to reduce reliance on exchequer funding.

[e-mail]