- A delegation from UoN inspected facilities at Kapenguria University College ahead of pioneer student admissions in August.
- The team assessed lecture theatres, offices, ICT infrastructure, water and sanitation systems, and other facilities, confirming the institution is in its final preparation phase.
- Governor Simon Kachapin called the project a flagship priority aimed at easing the financial burden on West Pokot students who previously had to study far from home, with the college being developed in partnership with UoN to uphold high academic standards.
A delegation from the University of Nairobi (UoN), led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, has inspected facilities at Kapenguria University College in West Pokot County ahead of the admission of the institution’s pioneer students in August.
During the assessment, the team evaluated key academic and administrative facilities, including lecture theatres, offices, the student centre, kitchen and dining facilities, ICT infrastructure, water supply systems and sanitation facilities, to gauge the institution’s readiness ahead of its official opening.
Kapenguria University College is being established in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and will become West Pokot County’s first university college and the first public institution of higher learning in the county, ending decades of dependence on universities located outside the region.
The successful inspection signals that the institution is steadily progressing towards full operational status, with preparations entering their final phase before the admission of the first cohort of students.
Governor Simon Kachapin has described the project as one of the flagship initiatives of his administration, saying expanding access to quality higher education has remained one of his key priorities since taking office.
According to the Governor, the decision to champion the university college was informed by the conviction that young people in West Pokot deserve the same educational opportunities enjoyed by learners elsewhere in the country. He noted that students from the county have for years incurred heavy costs on tuition, accommodation, transport and upkeep while studying far from home, a burden that has locked out many deserving learners from pursuing higher education.
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The institution is being developed in partnership with the University of Nairobi, one of Kenya’s oldest and most prestigious universities, an arrangement expected to help it uphold high academic standards from inception while benefiting from its parent institution’s mentorship, governance structures and academic expertise.
Education experts say the college is expected to have wide-reaching benefits beyond expanding access to higher education, including creating employment for lecturers, researchers, administrators and support staff, while stimulating investment in housing, hospitality, transport and retail trade in the surrounding area.
The institution is also expected to support research in areas such as agriculture, livestock production, climate resilience, public health, entrepreneurship, technology, natural resource management and community development, issues considered central to West Pokot and the wider North Rift region.
With final quality assurance processes now underway, the admission of the pioneer class in August will mark a major milestone for West Pokot, giving local students access to university education within the county for the first time.
By Hillary Muhalya
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