Nyamira county stakeholders have put aside long standing clan disputes over Nyamira State University and are now pushing to establish the institution this year.
For months, leaders have been at loggerheads over the matter despite President Ruto allocating Ksh 500m to start the university at Kiabonyoru High School. West Mugirango MP Stephen Mogaka had gone to court to challenge the decision saying University of Eldoret had already planned to open a satellite campus at the same site under an earlier agreement with Nyamira County Government.
Mogaka had wanted the university to be built at Senator Kebaso High School in Nyamira Township. He has since withdrawn the petition but the delay forced National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee to remove the Ksh 500m allocation.
Nyamira County Education Day
The need for a university in Nyamira was highlighted at Nyamira County Education Day held at Manga Stadium. It was noted that 9,050 students from the county qualified for university admission in 2024 KCSE, the highest in recent years.
Nyamira County Education Board Chairman Richard Okero noted the irony of Nyamira producing a record number of university entrants yet lacking a university.
“If all these students were to be admitted to one university, they would not fit because no institution in Kenya can accommodate such high numbers. This alone should wake up Nyamira leaders to stop unnecessary disputes and prioritize Nyamira State University,” Okero said.
Nyanza Regional Director of Education Lawrence Karuntimi who represented Education Cabinet Secretary Ogamba Migos reiterated the Government’s commitment to establish the university.
“The Government has goodwill to ensure Nyamira gets a university. We urge all stakeholders to remove any obstacles and expedite the process,” Karuntimi read from Migos’ speech.
Leaders Call for Unity
Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo who hosted the event vowed to support the establishment of the university. He asked leaders to put aside differences and work together for the county’s progress.> “It’s sad that even when we are discussing matters of education, only one MP showed up when all of us were invited,” Nyaribo said.
Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo said NG-CDF will fund infrastructure projects and asked leaders to cool down as they work on the university’s location.