‘Build us a university in honour of late Moi’

Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis signing Former President Daniel Arap Moi condolence book at Baringo county commissioners office. (Kipsang Joseph, Standard)

Baringo leaders have asked the government to build a university in honour of former President Daniel arap Moi.

Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis and other leaders from the area said they are planning to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta over the issue.

“Give us a chance to have a university as a county. As leaders, we have planned to meet you over the issue,” Kiptis said.

During Moi’s burial two weeks ago, Tiaty MP William Kamket said President Kenyatta should order that a university be built at Chemeron where Egerton University has established its research centre.

Kamket said Moi legacy’s on education is the biggest ever and appealed to the President to name the university Daniel Arap Moi.

He said it was Moi’s wish that the university be built at Chemeron, and dismissed those in favour of Kapsogo in Baringo Central.

A number of universities have closed down their satellite campuses in Baringo county over the past years. The last one, Kisii University, closed its campus in Kabarnet town in March 2018.

The same university closed down its Eldama Ravine campus in 2017 and relocated the students to Kabarnet campus.

Moi, Egerton and Mount Kenya universities, and the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) were forced to close their campuses due to low student enrollment.

In 2011, Bugema University in collaboration with Elgon-View College in Eldoret established a satellite campus at Kabarnet town only to close it down the same year. The county has no public university.

Six years after a plan was mooted, Baringo University College is yet to be built, despite the availability of an 1100-acre parcel at Chemeron in Marigat Sub-county.

Dispute arose as leaders diferred over its location. While some wanted it established at Chemeron others rooted for Kabarnet town.

Chemeron hosts Egerton University’s research and field station.

The dispute sucked in Deputy President William Ruto who wanted it established at Kabarnet instead of Chemeron. He wanted Baringo Technical College converted into a university.

Residents have however blamed the county government for its prolonged silence on the matter.

“We need a public university here, the county government should break the silence and give a direction,” said Boniface Lesaris.