Bomet university gets a full charter

President William Ruto hands over charter to Bomet University VC Prof. Charles Mutai on February 4, 2026. [PCS]

Bomet University has been elevated to operate as a full fledged public university after getting a charter, marking a major milestone in Kenya’s higher education sector.

President William Ruto on Wednesday awarded the charter to an institution that has operated since 2016 as a constituent college of Moi University.

With the award of the charter, Bomet University became the 36th public chartered university in Kenya, bringing the total number of universities to 83 and serving nearly 630,000 students countrywide.

Speaking during the charter award ceremony, President Ruto affirmed the  government’s commitment to education saying it is the foundation of national transformation.

“Today is a day that affirms our conviction that education is the surest path to transformation and shared prosperity,” the President said.

President William Ruto signs the Bomet University Charter at State House Nairobi on February 4, 2026. [PCS]

He noted that universities play a central role in national development through teaching, research and community service.

“Through teaching, universities prepare citizens with the knowledge, skills and values needed for national and global progress. Through research, they expand the frontiers of understanding and generate solutions to global challenges. Through community service, they translate learning into impact, improving lives and strengthening society,” Ruto said.

The President said Bomet University embodies this mission, noting that although it is rooted in the South Rift, its impact extends nationally, regionally and globally.

“This expansion aligns with our goal of ensuring that every qualified Kenyan has a fair opportunity to pursue university education and acquire skills for the modern economy,” Ruto said.

He highlighted ongoing education reforms, including the student-centred funding model, which he said ensures resources are directed to learners based on ability and need rather than background.

The President noted that the education budget has increased from Sh490 billion in 2021 to over Sh700 billion in the current financial year, strengthening infrastructure, expanding access and stabilising support for universities.

Ruto also underscored the government’s commitment to research and innovation, citing the creation of a State Department for Science, Research and Innovation and plans to increase investment in research from 0.8 per cent to 2 per cent of GDP.

“This is about financing start-ups, commercialising innovation and building a generation of scientists and creators who will power our next wave of economic transformation,” he said.

Bomet Governor Prof Hillary Barchak praised the university’s rapid growth, describing its journey as remarkable.

“From a small constituent college of Moi University in 2017 to now a fully fledged university, this has been quite a journey. From an initial intake of 200 students to nearly 10,000 today, and from five academic programmes to 114, Bomet University has transformed lives and put Bomet County on the international map,” he said.

President William Ruto hands over the Bomet University emblem to VC Prof. Charles Mutai on February 4, 2026. [PCS]

Prof Barchak noted that the institution, recognised as the only Green University in Sub-Saharan Africa, has also transformed Bomet Town economically and socially.

“We are proud of you, and we look forward to an enduring partnership,” he said.

The University began with 130 students and so far graduated 226 undergraduate students with its School of Education has grown into a key pillar, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that train teachers, education managers and researchers, while integrating competence-based curriculum approaches.