Vihiga county gets first university, Kaimosi Friends University College

Kaimosi Friends University College (Kafuco) is set to be awarded a university charter at State House in Nairobi on Thursday, July 28, making it the first in Vihiga County.

Kafuco will receive the charter in a ceremony to be presided over by President Uhuru Kenyatta and attended by several education officials.

Principal Jack Nandi confirmed the new development, saying the college was approved following several inspections by the Commission for University Education.

“We have been invited to attend the ceremony in Nairobi. We are first required at the Commission for University Education offices today (Wednesday) for rehearsal,” he said.

Prof Nandi said the college, which has been under the mentorship of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology since it was established in September 2014, has fulfilled all the requirements.

He said CUE approved the college for the award of the charter after it confirmed it had satisfied it can operate a fully chartered university.

“We are happy for this development. We are ready to transform into a fully fledged university,” Prof Nandi said.

The Nation has established that Kafuco is among eight university colleges that will get charters at the State House event.

Other notable ones are Alupe in Busia County, Kenya Defence Forces College and Tharaka Nithi College.

At least four private colleges are said to be on the list of the institutions to be upgraded.

Reports about the awarding of a charter to Kafuco were first made earlier this year by Vihiga Senator George Khaniri.

At the time, Mr Khaniri said the county was poised to get its first chartered university before the elections on August 9.

Mr Khaniri has been spearheading the push for the charter, and in February this year, he presented a petition to President Kenyatta, asking him to upgrade the college to a full-fledged university.

It is then that Mr Khaniri confirmed that Kafuco was on the verge of getting the upgrade.

He said at the time that Mr Kenyatta had assured him that all the necessary processes were being undertaken by CUE before the charter was formally awarded.

Kafuco opened in September 2014 and sits on 100 acres within the Kaimosi education complex and has over 1,000 students.

Major infrastructure and administrative changes have been undertaken at the college in readiness for the awarding of the charter.

Mr Khaniri said the college has all the facilities needed to upgrade it to a full-fledged university.

“There is enough land and infrastructure. There are students and a catchment area,” the senator said, adding that he also asked President Kenyatta to fulfil his pledge to tarmac the Kaimosi education complex loop road.