Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has commissioned the newly-built Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre at Mount Kenya University main campus in Thika constructed at a cost of Sh600million.
The multi-million shilling convention centre is a modern facility to immortalise the education reforms legacy of Kenya’s third President His Excellency Mwai Kibaki.
Matiang’i, who was flanked by MKU Chairman Professor Simon Gicharu, said such enterprises supplement much needed funds for scientific research in institutions of higher learning.
“I hoppe the convention centre will serve as an arena for brewing solutions that address the challenges facing Africa. Former President Mwai Kibaki called Africans to apply both home-grown and borrowed solutions to social, cultural and economic challenges the continent faces,” he said.
Matiang’i says he is delighted that the centre has already hosted an international conference on Entrepreneurial Universities of Africa.
Addressing the issue of universities’ contribution to social and economic development, Matiang’i says society needs to take note of the ongoing Public-Private Partnerships between MKU and various county governments across the country citing the modern General Kago Funeral Home.
He has said the government we will continue to support private investment in education as it is key to expand opportunities in the country.
On his part, Gicharu sais the university is honouring Kibaki who granted its Charter in 2011.
“He has made immeasurable contributions to what our country has turned out to be today,” he said.
“We owe it to ourselves and have a duty to capture our milestones for posterity by way of chronicling accounts and exploits of our heroes.”
The facility will host the International YUNUS Social Business Academic Conference which begins on Saturday to Wednesday next week hosting more than 1,000 delegates from across the world.
