On Friday, April 19, 2024, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Higher Education and Research in the Ministry of Education, paid a visit to Kaimosi Friends University on a courtesy call to the recently appointed acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Peter N. Mwita.

During her visit, Dr. Inyangala was warmly welcomed by a distinguished array of attendees, including the Council representative, Dr. Bwire; the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Peter Mwita; the acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Student Affairs and Research, Prof. Julius Kipkemboi; various members of the Management Board; Senators; staff; student leaders; and other students. Accompanying her were Hon. Charles Gimose, the Hamisi MP, and leaders from the Friends Church Kenya, among them General Secretary Ephraim Konzolo and Presiding Clerk Ishmail Chanzu of Kaimosi Yearly Meeting Friends Church, as well as other political leaders. The PS was in Vihiga to attend the 5th Graduation Ceremony at Friends College Kaimosi.

The acting Vice Chancellor, who assumed office in February, provided an overview of the university’s development, emphasizing a smooth transition and a focus on rallying the workforce toward a unified vision for KAFU. Key strategies highlighted included investments in staff development and adopting a participatory management approach. Dr. Francis Bwire, a council member, expressed gratitude to the visitors for their courtesy call and simultaneously petitioned for strengthened support to provide more opportunities for higher education in the region.

At a luncheon with staff, students, and community leaders, Dr. Inyangala expressed the government’s commitment to quality university education. She encouraged staff to support the new acting Vice Chancellor in fulfilling the university’s mandate, emphasizing the need for innovation and urging the university community to engage in cutting-edge research, positioning KAFU as a leading institution not only in Kenya but on the global stage. Additionally, she challenged students to make the most of the resources and opportunities offered by the young university to shape their future.

KAFU, awarded a charter in August 2022 by President Uhuru Kenyatta, is now the first fully-fledged university in Vihiga County. The university has been setting up schools, including programs focused on its niche, health sciences, with the goal of impacting the neighboring community by reducing education costs and disseminating transformative research findings.

The Hamisi area MP, Dr. Gimose, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing peaceful coexistence with the community, while the Friends Church leaders expressed their support for the new management and prayed for a continued cordial relationship among the church, community, and university.

As KAFU continues its journey towards academic excellence, the support and encouragement from stakeholders, including government officials and community leaders, remain instrumental. Through collective efforts and a shared vision, KAFU endeavors to solidify its position as a beacon of learning and research, shaping the future of education in Kenya and beyond.