Busia County academicians have thrown their weight behind Nambale Member of Parliament, MP Geoffrey Mulanya for his efforts to revive the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) Nambale constituent college, which had been lying dormant for years.
The unit, first initiated by immediate former Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi, had stalled until Mulanya reignited the project.
Led by Prof. Okumu Bigambo, a Moi University lecturer and chairperson of Busia county education board, the scholars lauded the move as a step in the right direction. However, they expressed concern that key stakeholders from the education sector were left out during the signing of the memorandum of understanding to operationalize the project.
“Busia County has a battery of seasoned academicians who can play a crucial role in strategic planning, yet they were not involved in the initial stages. Such exclusion weakens the project’s long-term prospects,” Prof. Bigambo told Education News on Tuesday morning.
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He further emphasized the need to involve professionals in creating strong outreach strategies to publicize the unit and recruit students. According to him, the revival of the institution could expand access to higher education for students unable to travel to distant campuses.
Prof. Bigambo also appealed to MP Mulanya to allocate a portion of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) kitty to support the unit’s growth, citing Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala’s similar initiatives in the past.
“We are ready as academicians from Busia to offer our full support. What we need is collaboration and a clear structure to ensure the unit thrives,” he added.
At the same time, Prof. Bigambo urged Mulanya to broaden the scope of the university centre, cautioning against using the project as a platform for political mileage.
The revival of the JOOUST Nambale unit is expected to boost higher learning opportunities in Busia County, potentially transforming the region into an academic hub.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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