Zetech University has introduced an annual educational excellence award in honour of former Laikipia MP Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki [widely known as GG Kariuki] for his contributions to the education sector.
The award, according to Vice Chancellor Prof Njenga Munene, will celebrate University launches annual Excellence Award in honor of former Laikipia MP GG Kariukioutstanding achievement in education and pay tribute to the late Dr Kariuki’s lifelong dedication to advancing learning and community development.
Prof Munene, who spoke during the University’s 9th graduation ceremony in Mang’u on Friday, Juja sub-county, said that through this initiative, the institution seeks to preserve its remarkable legacy while inspiring future generations to pursue excellence, service, and leadership.
Some 3,216 graduands were conferred with degrees, diplomas and certificates in various fields of study.
The VC noted that the veteran politician left a legacy that has touched the lives of thousands of Kenyans, especially in Laikipia County, through the establishment of schools and the facilitation of local education.
GG Kariuki, who became Laikipia’s first Member of Parliament at the onset of independence in 1963, played a key role in the development of Laikipia County and is synonymous with the region’s livelihood and development.
He was instrumental in setting up schools to enable the children of his constituents to access formal education. Some of the Secondary Schools he helped establish are Rumuruti, Ngumo Secondary School, Gatero Girls, Mwenje, Njorua, and Njonjo Girls.
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Some of the primary schools he helped establish and build include: Rimururuti, Kiguro and Waigwa Primary. He also played a pivotal role in ensuring that students from his constituency could access Commonwealth government scholarships offered by the Ministry of Education.
Also, GG Kariuki is hailed for establishing craft training centres to help youths from his region play their role in society by equipping them with the necessary skills in technical fields. Some of them include Igwamiti, Rumuruti, Kinamba and Muthengera.
James Waigwa Kariuki, [GG Kariuki’s son], who received the honours of his late father, hailed the University for recognising his work and contributions to society, especially in enhancing access to education for his constituents in the remote areas of Laikipia County.
He averred that his father donated his resources, including land, for the construction of schools.
“We have carried on the legacy that my father left over the years, and people from Laikipia can relate more with the work and contributions that he made in society,” he said.
Waigwa, at the same time, called on leaders, especially politicians, to emulate the footsteps of GG Kariuki, with total commitment, sacrifice, and a high level of integrity, to foster key developments in their respective regions.
“In the past, there was no Constituency Development Fund (CDF), and the leaders then were receiving about sh 6,000 as their pay, and yet they managed to do a lot that touched and changed the lives of many people. Nowadays, our politicians receive hefty perks, and they have the funds, but the commitment and willingness to work are not there. Our leaders must be people-centred,” Waigwa said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Joseph Njuguna, who urged leaders to focus on projects that will improve Kenyans’ livelihoods and advance education in the country.
By John Kamau
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