SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.

,
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF
THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION COMPLEX AND GRADUATE
SCHOOL BUILDING, KENYATTA UNIVERSITY, NAIROBI, 9TH JULY, 2014

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning,
Let me start by stating how delighted I am to join you here today. We gather to
celebrate the next step in the transformation of this University.
ver the years this institution has progressed !uite remar"ably # from what
was once a constituent college of $airobi University, into a full University.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It would not be an overstatement to say that through this time, %enyatta
University has served the nation well in building the human capital we re!uire
for our development, in line with the call by our founding fathers. ur founding
fathers "new fully well that &limu ni $guvu and that it is a critical pillar of an
appropriate development strategy.
'ou, %enyatta University, have played your part in building the educated labour
force we need for our development agenda. In just the last eight years, your
enrolment has grown from (),))) students in *))+ to the current strength of
+,,))) students - indeed, !uite a remar"able feat.
.he University has also opened campuses around the country bringing
education closer to the people.
/nd this you have done as far away as 0adaab # ma"ing it possible for some of
the most vulnerable among us to access university education and therefore
learn the s"ills they need to turn their lives around.
'our approach # decentrali1ing higher education by creating satellite campuses
# is not only commendable but most important a spur to development across
the nation.
2ut it is not just in the cause of bringing "nowledge to every %enyan that you
have excelled. 'ou recognise, as we do, that %enyans must have access to
specialised "nowledge, and that they must begin to excel in the research that
we need to come up with solutions to the socio-economic challenges that we
continue to face.
3o, I am happy to note that, besides bachelor4s programmes, the University
now o5ers a wide range of postgraduate programmes at both 6asters and
0octoral degree levels.
.he Graduate 3chool 2uilding, for which we are here to open, is an important
part of this wor", and I salute you for this achievement.
Let me add that I am pleased to see that you have not forgotten your history,
or your benefactors. In commemorating the founding 7resident of the 8epublic,
whose name you bear, you show gratitude, and set a reminder to the future
generations about the history of this institution.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
.he fact of the matter is simple9 today4s o:cial opening of the ;entral
/dministration ;omplex, and the Graduate 3chool 2uilding, con<rms this
university4s commitment to the ideal, as old as the republic, which we set for
ourselves in the "now that "nowledge is the cornerstone of sustainable
freedom and prosperity.
$ow that we have these facilities, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time to say a
little about what we expect them to be used for.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
ur country remains under-studied. We still "now too little about the land we
are privileged to call our own. /nd of that "nowledge, too little of it is in
%enyan hands # much of it remains in the hands and minds of foreign scholars.
We must also admit that we do not always put the "nowledge we generate to
the best use. .oo often, seed sown by %enyan scholars has fallen on barren
ground.
.his must change. We cannot achieve the economic transformation we want,
and we cannot have the "nowledge that mature and developed nations have, if
we do not rededicate ourselves to the hard wor" of understanding ourselves.
'our new graduate school o5ers us all a clear chance. .he research pursued
here, and the <ndings you will ma"e, should inform the most vital parts of the
nation4s economy, and its life.
I challenge other organi1ations, both private and public, to engage with you,
and other universities, to tap the "nowledge that is now produced continuously.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am happy to note that you have already made progress in this direction. In
partnering with the private sector, you have shown your resolve to put your
"nowledge to immediate and tangible use.
/nd in encouraging your students to wor" with the private sector, you prepare
them for the world of wor", where they can apply the "nowledge they have
gained from here.
6y Government strongly supports the development of 7ublic-7rivate
7artnerships. .he underlying logic is simple9 when the two sectors wor" closely
together, they often achieve substantial collaborative advantages. It is these
collaborative advantages that you must ma"e the very most of, to transform
the nation4s prospects.
$ow, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to commend you for two projects that complete the picture we
wish to see.
.he %enyatta University .eaching, 8esearch, and 8eferral =ospital and the
%enyatta University ;hildren4s =ospital are among the most ambitious projects
underta"en in the country in recent years. 'et again, they demonstrate your
commitment to ma"ing your "nowledge useful to %enyans outside the walls of
the university.
I appreciate the University4s management for its vision, and I am pleased to
learn that a number of funding options are presently under consideration.
&arlier, I mentioned private public partnerships. =ere is a real example of such
partnership. I urge other corporations and individuals to emulate a great
%enyan, 0r 6anu ;handaria, who has supported this project in a big way.
In closing my remar"s, let me say that I have noted the dispute around some of
the university4s land. .his matter must be resolved. In this context, I am
directing the ;abinet 3ecretary for Lands to in!uire into the matter, and to
!uic"ly bring it to closure.
With these few remar"s, and expressing once again my appreciation for the
diligence and public spirit this university has shown since its earliest days, it is
my pleasure to declare these facilities o:cially opened.
6ungu awabari"i na awalinde nyote.