By James Wakahiu
Worth Noting:
- In the current semester/trimester of May-August, the institution has registered 56,225 students. “This high student enrolment has been possible mainly because of our approach to recruitment,” Prof Jaganyi had said during the 25th graduation fete held at the Pavilion grounds in Thika town recently.
- The event was MKU’s largest graduation ceremony ever in Thika town that saw 7,974 students feted, the highest number over 14 graduations held in the last seven years.
- Among the graduands were 14 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degrees; 530 Master’s Degrees, 155 Postgraduate Diplomas, 5,090 Bachelor’s Degrees; 1,801 Diplomas, and 384 certificates holders.
- The VC said the state-of-the art student centre is also a further testimony of the management’s commitment to ensure that the university has the best facilities possible for students’ use.
Mount Kenya University (MKU) has unveiled a bigger mosque and a student centre as overall university enrolment grows to more than 56,000 students.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Deo Jaganyi said in 2008 when the university received the Letter of Interim Authority, the number of Muslim students were less than 50. “Overtime, this number has grown from about 50 in 2008 to approximately 10,000 in 2024,” he disclosed.
Given this growth, the previous mosque facility was overstretched and unable to accommodate the increased student numbers of Muslim faith during their worship.
“The board of directors has therefore done a great act of service to man and service to God through the construction of the Mosque which we are receiving formally today,” said the VC during the handing over ceremony on Thursday.
Prof Jaganyi said from its inception, the institution has embraced a non-biased religious orientation where the university supports all the main stream faith based religious groups.
He was speaking during the handing over ceremony of th new mosque and student center at the main campus in Thika town, Kiambu County.
In the current semester/trimester of May-August, the institution has registered 56,225 students. “This high student enrolment has been possible mainly because of our approach to recruitment,” Prof Jaganyi had said during the 25th graduation fete held at the Pavilion grounds in Thika town recently.
The event was MKU’s largest graduation ceremony ever in Thika town that saw 7,974 students feted, the highest number over 14 graduations held in the last seven years.
Among the graduands were 14 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degrees; 530 Master’s Degrees, 155 Postgraduate Diplomas, 5,090 Bachelor’s Degrees; 1,801 Diplomas, and 384 certificates holders.
The VC said the state-of-the art student centre is also a further testimony of the management’s commitment to ensure that the university has the best facilities possible for students’ use.
“As management, we do not take these contributions for granted and we are sure our students will greatly benefit from these facilities as well as all other facilities available for their use during the period they are undertaking their studies at this institution,” he added.
The VC noted that such student centers that include a state-of -the art Mosque are usually not found at every other university.
He advised students to use the facilities with respect. “Tell your younger siblings and your friends about what we have at MKU. Let us show the world what we have at MKU in terms of facilities like these that we are receiving today,” he added.
“I am impressed by the good construction work. On behalf of all the students and the university management, I wish to express our appreciation to the Board of Directors as the sponsors and also to the contractors for a job well done,” he said.
According to Mohamed Kadir Ali, a representative of the Muslim Students at MKU, the new mosque is larger and will encourage more Muslim students to enroll in the Thika campus. “This facility will help us build each other spiritually in the Muslim faith and we appreciate management for thinking and planning for our spiritual welfare,” he noted.
Handing over the facility, Prof Simon Gicharu, MKU chairman of the board of directors said he was touched to find Muslim students kneeling outside when it was raining during prayers at one time because the prayer room was full.
“I decided then that we needed a bigger mosque for our students,” he said.
The chairman asked the VC and lecturers to continue sorting out the issue of missing marks for students so that complains can be eliminated.
“I have gotten very humbling statements from parents and students coming to collect their certificates after we announced a waiver of all student fees in arrears for our graduates,” he said.
MKU has waived fees for students who have completed their studies at the institution but are still unable to clear the arrears and thus yet to collect their certificates. This has made their transition to the job market difficult with many opportunities requiring them to show their certificates.
During the recent graduation ceremony, chairman and founder of MKU Prof Simon Gicharu directed the university to release the certificates of students who had already completed their studies and graduated but the institution continued to retain their papers because of fee arrears.
Congratulating the entire MKU fraternity for the achievements, MKU Pro-chancellor and chairman of the university council, Dr Vincent Gaitho said education should promote sound moral and religious values.
“We have an obligation to help our students to subscribe to the much-desired attributes of nationalism, patriotism, and promotion of national unity within a stable natural, human and political environment paying attention to the internationalization needs,” he said.
“These two facilities, namely the Student Centre and the Mosque are a clear indication of MKU’s support to the achievement of the national Goal No 3 on promoting the individual fulfilment as well as national Goal No 4 of promotion of sound moral and religious values,” Dr Gaitho added.
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James Wakahiu