By Malachi Motano
Kenya has established a strategic relationship between with India to enhance its research capacity, a key ingredient in driving the government’s Big Four development agenda.
According to Republic of India External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, every year the government of India offers over 400 scholarships to Kenyans and even during the Covid-19 pandemic they continued to observe this relationship virtually.
“We also have collaboration between the Indian Oil Corporation and the University of Nairobi in building key competencies in refinery processing technologies through online linkages,” said Dr. Jaishankar, adding that since 1960s Indian universities have offered training for many Kenyans with majority rising to important positions in various fields.
He was speaking on Monday at the University of Nairobi (UoN), during the inauguration of the refurbished Mahatma Gandhi Library where he said five years ago, he accompanied the India Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, when he delivered a lecture at the University of Nairobi and promised to renovate the library which is now complete.
Dr. Jaishankar said the illustrations should evoke a discussion of how to refashion ties between the two countries by capitalising on the past shared struggles and embracing the new challenges.
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha said that the refurbished library was constructed with the support of the Indian community in Kenya that is the Gandhi memorial society, adding that Kenya and India continue to enjoy strong relations that have grown from strength to strength due to the shared history and strategic location on the Indian Ocean.
The CS noted that in the post-independence period India opened its gates to many Kenyans who were thirsty for higher education and could not secure higher education locally because we only had one university then, the University of Nairobi.
The University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Kiama Gitahi said most buildings at the university represent various partnerships that have had with the global community including India.
“We convey our gratitude to the government of India for renovating this Library with a donation of one million dollars that was granted to us after the 2016 tour of the India Prime Minister, Narendra Modi,” said Prof. Gitahi.
Prof. Gitahi said that the refurbished library is designed to make learning experience more enjoyable and entertaining by providing very high-quality services and resources that the university community specifically the post graduate students and researchers require.
“The unique features of the library include the subscription to over 100, 000 peer reviewed full text electronic journals and books to support the teaching, learning and research activities at the University of Nairobi,” said the VC.
