Kabarnet is set to become Kenya’s newest university town following a legal declaration by Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Julius Migos Ogamba establishing Kabarnet University College as a constituent college of Moi University.
The institution is now officially recognised under the Kabarnet University College Legal Order, 2025, which was gazetted on June 13, 2025. It is expected to expand access to higher education in the Rift Valley region while accelerating research, innovation, and industrial linkages.
“This order marks a major milestone in our national goal of equitable access to university education,” said Dr Ogamba. “Kabarnet University College will be a hub of knowledge, innovation, and opportunity for generations to come.”
According to the Order, Kabarnet University College becomes a corporate body with perpetual succession and a common seal, with the authority to own property, enter into contracts, sue or be sued, and engage in financial transactions.
“We have given the college all the tools it needs to operate independently within the framework of Moi University,” Ogamba explained. “It can now hire staff, admit students, and develop academic programmes.”
The institution will offer professional, scientific, and technological education while also engaging in research, disseminating findings, and commercialising innovations. The Order also empowers the college to offer bursaries, prizes, and scholarships while promoting equity and inclusivity.
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“No student shall be denied opportunity based on gender, religion, disability, or economic background,” declared the Cabinet Secretary. “Kabarnet University College stands for fairness and academic merit.”
The governance structure places Kabarnet under the overarching chancellorship of Moi University, with its own Principal serving as the chief executive officer. The Principal will serve a renewable five-year term, supported by Deputy Principals, a Council, an Academic Board, and a Management Board.
“We are setting up a governance system that ensures both academic excellence and financial accountability,” said Ogamba. “We are not building just another college — we are building a model institution.”
Financially, the college’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, with all accounts subject to audit by the Controller and Auditor-General. The Council will oversee all budgets and investments.
“Every shilling spent must be justified,” Ogamba emphasised. “We are holding public institutions to the highest standard of transparency.”
The Order also outlines penalties for unauthorised use of the college’s name and makes room for its eventual transition into a fully-fledged university under the Universities Act.
The establishment comes amid government efforts to decongest existing universities, expand regional learning centres, and align tertiary education with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Dr. Ogamba concluded by encouraging students, staff, and stakeholders in Baringo County to take pride and ownership of the institution.
“Kabarnet University College is not just a place of learning — it is a symbol of hope, growth, and transformation for the entire community,” he said.
By Joseph Mambili
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