By James Wakahiu
Universities in the country have been challenged to work hard to attract funding for research. The call was made by MKU Vice Chair Prof Stanley Waudo.
Prof Waudo said varsities and scholars who took time writing research proposals had no challenge of getting funding.
“You can’t wait for research funding yet you are not writing proposals and applying for resources to help you in your finding,” the VC noted.
He said some researchers were not keen on their work and behaved like company directors. “They teach during the day and in the evening they go to watch their favorite cartoons, putting their research work aside. How can such scholars attract funding,” he posed.
He also warned scholars who were lucky to get funding not to divert the resource to other uses.
He said since MKU underscored research and innovation, it had established a full fledged directorate to manage research.
Prof Waudo said the role of the university is to undertake research, teaching and service provision. “Any varsity that does not undertake the 3 components, is not serious,” he noted.
He said it was unfortunate that Kenya import fish from China.
“Fish from China costs between Sh150 to 300 per kilogramme while a local Tilapia costs 400 or more. This is not because Chinese pray more than we do, but its because they undertook very serious research to produce enough fish for their huge population and for export,” noted Prof Waudo.
