Thousands of university students drawn from the wider Kericho County were elated after their regional organization, Kericho County Students Association (KECOTSA), was launched during the Kericho Students Summit Day held at the Kericho High School social hall.
Jubilant comrades drawn the sub counties of Soin-Sigowet, Ainamoi, Kipkelion East, Belgut, Bureti and Kipkelion West congregated under the new association under the patronage of Advocate Gilbert Kemboi of the Wakili Kemboi Foundation.
The Patron said the students were jubilant as they celebrated great strides made in the launch of the organization and called for support from various stakeholders.
“The organization will assist in the nurturing of talent, networking, student mentorship and general investment in the education success of the students in the county,” he said.
Kemboi urged comrades from the county and the neighbouring counties of Bomet, Narok and Nakuru to join KECOTSA to gain the necessary strength to champion for the rights of the students both locally and internationally.
The patron explained that the new body was non-political and welcomed the local leadership to support the varsity students, whom he said were facing various challenges including financial, emotional and societal challenges.
As students start trooping back to their different institutions of learning, he urged the county leadership to focus on disbursing bursary allocation to all beneficiaries on time.
Student leader Mr. Ali Serem invited university students from the region to join the new outfit and called on the county leadership to introduce Student Airlifting programmes which have been pioneered successfully in counties such as Uasin Gishu and Nandi.
Among elected leaders who graced the occasion were Members of County Assembly Erick Bett (Kipchebor), Weldon Rogony (Sigowet), Anita Biegon (Chemosot), Erick Bii aka Maji (Kaplelartet), Kemoi Diplo (Kapsuser), Pastor Esther Kapsir, a Mental Health Awareness Consultant at Kabarak University, Mr. William Rotich, NACADA ambassador and Mr. Moses Okea from the Ministry of Education.
MCA Bett assured the students that the county assembly will be in the forefront in coming up with proper legislations to aid in boosting of the bursary schemes.
The Chemosot representative Mrs Aniata Biegon advised the graduates that upon graduation they should not wait for white collar employment but venture into business and farming which were still lucrative.
Mrs. Biegon, herself a renowned poultry farmer called on the county to strengthen the bursary schemes which she pointed were at times the only lifelines for students from poor backgrounds.
The leaders advised the university students to nurture the new organization with utmost care in order to avoid falling into pitfalls that befell student organizations which existed before.
By Benedict Ngetich
Get more stories from our website: Education News
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
