Kibaki Charters 13th Public University

By Robert Nyasato

Kisii, Kenya- President Kibaki on Wednesday chartered Kisii University, making it the 13th public university in the country.

Granting the charter to the former constituent college of Egerton University at a well-attended ceremony at the university grounds, the president said education is the greatest investment that any nation can make on its youth.

He said the ongoing expansion in education will give Kenya a head start to produce global citizens who would work in any part of the world, adding that with the rising number of universities, each will be distinguished by the services it offers.

Despite the fact that the occasion was attended by several politicians including Higher Education Minister, Prof Magaret Kamar, her Foreign Affairs counterpart, Prof Sam Ongeri and Chris Obure of Public Works among others the head of state characteristically steered clear of politics.

President Kibaki named Prof Godfrey Muriuki as the chancellor of the sixth newest university while Prof John Akama was elevated to the position of vice Chancellor from principal. Prof Joseph Nyasani was retained as university council chairman.

Stressing on quality access to higher and tertiary education, he challenged universities to endeavor to attain social, research and academic excellence. He said universities will continue offering diploma education saying it formed bulk of the work force in the country.

“Universities should embrace bench marking with other leading institutions globally to become centers of excellence,” Kibaki offered. He said nine more constituent colleges are on the pipeline to be granted full university status.

The president urged students to utilize their time in school well to avoid regretting later in life. ¨You are at university to make a success...anything else is backward. Genuine success is what your parents want and not wasting time loitering in town,” he charged.

Prof Kamar said great reforms were going on in higher education noting that more space was needed by 2015 to accommodate products of free primary education.

Prof Ongeri said the long journey traveled by Kisii University having been founded in 1965 as a primary teachers training college had finally bore fruit.

Ongeri and Obure thanked the president for heading to the request of the Gusii people to give them a university.

Kisii University becomes the third in Western Kenya after Maseno and Masinde Muliro universities.