Today the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kibwage led a delegation from Egerton University to the Office of the Nakuru County Governor, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui for a courtesy call. Among pertinent issues discussed were collaborations between Egerton University and Nakuru County Government in the rehabilitation of Mau Ecosystem and Njoro River, upgrading roads within Main Campus, the elevation of Lord Egerton Castle as a historical site and partnering with hospitals in Nakuru County in health care research, Innovation, Farmer Training Extension and Outreach.
The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kibwage (left seated) with the Egerton University team during a courtesy call to the Nakuru County Governor Hon. Lee Kinyanjui (right) on 12 March 2022. Key issues discussed were rehabilitation of Mau Ecosystem and Njoro River, upgrading roads within Main Campus, the elevation of Lord Egerton Castle as a historical site and partnering with hospitals in Nakuru County in health care research, innovation and training
“On behalf of Egerton University, I wish to thank you for being our Chief Guest during the 44th Graduation Ceremony on 17th December 2021. This was the first Graduation Ceremony to be officiated by our Governor,” said Prof. Kibwage.” The Governor acknowlged the VC invitation and promised to attend and grace the next graduation ceremony in June 2022.
“It gives me great pleasure that you made time for my team to visit you in your office to discuss issues and how we can strengthen the collaborations between your County Government and Egerton University. Among them is upgrading roads within the Main Campus, resolving land disputes between Egerton University and the neighbouring communities at Lord Egerton Castle in Ngata,” he added.
Egerton University is collaborating with Kisii and other thre other universities within the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) to establish the East African Centre of Excellence in Health Education and Training (CEHET) in Kenya in collaboration with by the Kenya UK Health Alliance (KUKHA), a cooperation of the United Kingdom and Kenyan institutions. The university will be hosting some of the programmes and requested Governor to work with University to establish the training facility at Njoro or at Level 5 Provincial General Hospital (PGH), with estimated funding of Ksh 2 billion. In light of this, Prof. Kibwage called for a collaboration with hospitals in Nakuru in research and training to address the rising Respiratory diseases cases in the countrty and also in the Nakuru County since the county is the leading flower and horticultural producer, where alot of chemicals are used by farm-workers. Vice Chancellor infromed
The Governor Hon. Kinyanjui noted the underfunding of public universities, adding that the current financial model applied by the National Government was a deterrent to the development of the institutions. He promised to support the University on championing for increased funding of the five big universities of Egerton, Moi, UON, JKUAT and Kenyatta who have been greatly affected by student-based funding model.
“Food and nutrition security is one of the Big 4 Agenda of the current government; however, we cannot adequately address food security issues without corresponding investments to universities such as Egerton,” added the Governor. The Governor challenged the VC and the University commuinty to ensure that farmers and communities living within the environs of the University including Njoro, Ngata etc should be more skilled, trained and impacted positively by University and student with high knowledge and skills, hence should have higher farm-productivity and incomes as compared to other farmers far away in Bahati, Naivasha and or Kuresoi. The VC took the challenge and promised the governor to engage more with farmers and community.
The Nakuru Governor further said that he would seek to enhance linkages that will connect more farmers to researchers, leverage the University as a tourism destination and the gazettement of Lord Egerton castle as a historic site. This is beacuse Nakuru County has been
Recognised as World heritage site for tourism and culture.
The Nakuru Deputy Governor, Hon. Dr Erick Korir called upon the Government to allow universities to increase Tuition fees to address some of the financial challenges the institutions face.
The Governor agreed and promised the Vice Chancellor that his Government will support and participate in the 8th edition of the Mau Run in Feb 2023 aimed at Rehabilitation of Mau Ecosystem and Njoro River. He also promised to support upgrading roads within Main Campus, Ngongongeri farm and also the 6 km Kenyatta Campus road by offering cragers and other needed equipment.
Accompanying the Vice-Chancellor were Prof. Bockline Bebe, acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Extension), Prof. Richard Mulwa, acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration Planning and Development), Prof. Joshua Ogendo, Principal Nakuru City Campus College, Prof. Nancy Mungai acting Director (Research and Extension) and Prof. Paul Kimurto Director Marketing, Resource Mobilization and Agro-science Park.
