Varsity to get Sh350m for stalled projects

DP William Ruto chats with Kisii university Council chairperson Ephraim Mukisira when he attended the graduation ceremony in Kisii County. [Charles Kimani\DPPS]

The Government will give Kisii University Sh350 million to complete stalled projects, Deputy President William Ruto has said.

He further announced plans to acquire a 10-acre piece of land next to university that is currently under the Coffee Research Foundation.

“I have listened to the requests from the university administration and I agree they need urgent intervention. We need to complete some of the buildings that have taken years to complete,” he said during the university’s sixth graduation ceremony.

The DP further announced that the government has allocated Sh2 billion to the Government Research Department.

He called on universities to review their courses in order to fit into the global market.

Proper research

“Kenya has the best human resource South of Sahara but we cannot achieve our goals without proper research in our universities,” he said.

He challenged the 5,603 graduates not to rush to cities to look for jobs. “We need a dynamic and flexible human resource that can add value to the country’s economy,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor Prof John Akama acknowledged the major strides that the university has made since the award of its charter in 2013.

“We have more than 200 courses in our main campus and other branches. All the courses are fully accredited by the Council of University Education,” said Prof Akama.

And the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli was conferred with an honorary degree by Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology for his contribution in the labour movement for 51 years.

“We are awarding him with the honorary degree in recognition of Mr Atwoli’s distinguished contribution to labour relations locally and globally, his efforts in enhancing industrial peace, his advocacy for decent work for all and his defense for workers’ rights,” said Chancellor Dr Peter Wanyaga Muthoka during the 13th graduation ceremony.

Atwoli promised to start the Francis Atwoli Institute of Labour at the university next year.

“We will support the university so that it becomes a world class institution,” said Atwoli. 

[Nathan Ochunge, John Shilitsa and Eric Abuga]