New institute to open job opportunities for Kakamega youth

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A new technical institute in Kakamega aims to equip young people with skills to find jobs, start businesses and turn farming into a source of income.

The Wafula Wabuge Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institute will offer certificate and diploma programmes in engineering, agriculture and information and communication technology (ICT), with a focus on practical training and entrepreneurship.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) broke ground for the institute on Tuesday, October 13, in Likuyani Constituency on 50 acres of land donated by the family of the late Wafula Wabuge for training and research.

The project aims to address skills gaps, promote agribusiness and help farmers adopt modern agricultural practices, improve productivity and explore value addition.

Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research Beatrice Inyangala presided over the groundbreaking ceremony alongside Likuyani MP Mugabe Innocent Maino, JKUAT Vice Chancellor Victoria Wambui Ngumi and university council chairman Micah Onsando.

Inyangala said the institute would expand access to technical education and equip young people with skills aligned with industry needs.

“The establishment of Wafula Wabuge JKUAT TVET Institute represents a transformative step in our effort to democratise higher education and technical skills training in Kenya,” noted Inyangala.

She added that combining engineering, agriculture and ICT would equip trainees with practical skills to support economic growth under the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Kenya's Vision 2030.

Maino welcomed the project, saying it would bring technical training closer to young people in Likuyani and neighbouring areas, reducing the need to travel long distances to pursue their studies.

“This groundbreaking ceremony is a monumental victory for our constituency and the surrounding communities,” observed Maino.

He argued that the institute could help address unemployment by equipping young people to establish businesses instead of relying solely on formal employment.

“We want our young people to see agriculture as a viable business, not merely a subsistence activity. With the right technical knowledge, they can venture into agribusiness, embrace modern farming technologies and create jobs for themselves and others,” explained Maino.

JKUAT Vice Chancellor Victoria Wambui Ngumi said the university would draw on its expertise in science, technology and agriculture to provide practical training and nurture technicians and entrepreneurs.

“Through hands-on learning in ICT, modern agricultural practices and core engineering disciplines, we are nurturing a new generation of skilled technicians and entrepreneurs capable of solving real-world challenges,” said Ngumi.

She credited the late Wabuge's family for donating the land to support training and research.

JKUAT council chairman Micah Onsando said the institute would combine technical training with entrepreneurship to help learners build livelihoods and contribute to local economic development.

“JKUAT is a leader on commercialisation, value addition and the knowledge economy. That is what the university is bringing on the ground, here in Likuyani,” added Onsando.

The university has already introduced technology transfer initiatives in Likuyani through its lab-to-land approach, focusing on modern dairy farming, crop husbandry and agribusiness.

The new institute is expected to build on these initiatives by connecting technical education with farming, enterprise development and employment opportunities in the region.