Leaders, residents agree on location of proposed Baringo University

Professionals, leaders, and residents of Baringo County have unanimously agreed that Baringo Teachers College, Seretunin, will mentor the long-awaited and proposed university in Baringo. Plans are underway to build infrastructure at Kabarnet High School.

Baringo County Secretary Dr Jacob Chepkwony, who led a public meeting at a town hall meeting in Kabarnet, said the development ends the protracted battle between political leaders who had earlier disagreed on where to domicile the university.

In his address during the meeting, the county official noted that Moi University, through a task force in 2016, had in their technical report from the secretariat approved Baringo Teachers College in Seretunin, Baringo Central, as the ideal place in tandem with the university policy.

He lauded Kabarnet High School Chief Principal Julius Ndirangu and the Board of Management for swift action in donating 50 acres of land to the proposed University of Kabarnet, arguing that renowned universities worldwide have prospered by riding on cities.

He said Moi University will commence intake in September this year, as an administrative process in the land allocated by the Board of Management of Kabarnet High School commences.

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Former Director General at the Ministry of Education and inaugural interim County Secretary (Transition Authority) Baringo County, Ms Leah Rotich, lauded the area Governor Benjamin Cheboi, County Education Board, and Moi University for rallying support for establishing a university in the area.

“Establishing a new university within Kabarnet town will play a crucial role in developing our town and mark a new dawn for the county as a host of a new university. Despite my old age, I may consider continuing with my Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) once the University of Kabarnet is officially launched,” said the retired educationist.

Kabarnet Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Ernest Tarus criticized some leaders for taking a back seat in the quest for the new university, citing it as a disgrace to future generations yearning for an elusive university education in the area.

He said instituting the university would be a game changer for the thriving economy of Kabarnet, challenging the business community and locals to take up seriously the conversation on the new university.

Municipal Chairperson Betty Birchogo said her quarter was fully committed to pushing the town to be a fully-fledged a city in future, pledging to unite with locals to make the dream of a university a reality and actualise the Urban and Rural Development Act 2019

However, she insisted that the creation of the gem in the municipality was a gateway to the construction of key infrastructures, including roads, an improved health sector, and a thriving economy.

By Alfred Kimosop