Stakeholders in Nyamira have put aside clan fights over the location of Nyamira State University as they pondered the urgency of having the higher learning institution within this year.
This follows a push-and-pull between county area members who disagree over the ideal university-hosting constituency.
The fights continued even after President William Ruto extended funding of Sh500 million towards the start of the higher learning centre at Kiabonyoru High School. Still, West Mugirango MP Stephen Mogaka moved to Court to challenge the idea of placing the institution there, arguing that the University of Eldoret had earlier marked the same venue for the start of its campus under invitation by the County Government of Nyamira.
In his argument, Mogaka said the university should be situated at Senator Kebaso High School within Nyamira Township, not Kiabonyoru.
The MP has since withdrawn the petition and extended an olive branch to start the project, but this was after the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee had removed the Sh500 million allocations to the project.
Debate over the way forward with the university stood out during this year’s Nyamira County Education Day, which was held at Manga Stadium. It was revealed that the county had produced a historically high number of university entrants in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), and the irony of the county lacking a higher education learning centre was apparent.
County Education Board Chairman Richard Okero said the county had produced 9,050 university entrants in the 2024 KCSE, forming the highest pass to be witnessed in the region over the past many years.
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“If all these candidates who passed from our county were to be admitted to a single university, they would not fit because no university in Kenya has had such a high number of placements. This alone is a wake-up call to Nyamira leaders fighting over nothing about establishing Nyamira State University?” Dr Okero said.
Nyanza Regional Director of Education Lawrence Karuntimi, who represented Education Cabinet Secretary Ogamba Migos, graced the event.
In his speech, which Karuntimi read, Migos said the Government was ready to establish the university, and President Ruto had all the goodwill to support its start.
“The Government has already expressed goodwill to give Nyamira people the much-needed higher learning institution. We hope that the process will be hastened and possible barriers will be dealt with as soon as possible so that the plans can be completed as soon as possible,” the CS said.
Governor Amos Nayribo, who hosted the event, assured residents that the County Government would facilitate necessary assistance in establishing the college.
The Governor urged elected leaders from the region to bury their differences and focus on developing the devolved unit.
“It is saddening that even now when we are talking about important educational matters, only one MP was present when all of them were invited,” Nyaribo said.
Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo said the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) would facilitate the infrastructural growth of various development projects and urged for calm as the county’s issues were being addressed.
By Ongondi Nyakundi
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