The Kigali campus of Mount Kenya University is this month celebrating its 10th year of existence with the expectation of a charter to enable it to become a fully-fledged university.
MKU founder and chairman Simon Gicharu said on Tuesday they had applied for a charter and the Rwandan Government was likely to grant it in a few months' time to enable it to scale up its operations.
Gicharu spoke at MKU's main campus in Thika when he hosted the Rwandan High Commissioner to Kenya, Richard Masozera.
Gicharu said the charter will be beneficial to the over 4,000 students at the Kigali campus as well as help in overcoming cross-border operational challenges.
“We expect to receive the charter from the Rwandan Government in a few months to come. We are elated because it will allow us to operate as a full-fledged university,” he said.
The chairman said they decided to make the Kigali campus autonomous so that it can better serve the increasing number of students. "The Rwandan Government led by President Paul Kagame has really been supportive and we are grateful.”
Gicharu said students will no longer have to travel to Thika to sort out administration issues as well as attend graduation ceremonies when the Kigali campus becomes a full-fledged university.
Masozera said Rwanda appreciates the private sector and had accorded MKU an enabling environment to operate as a private higher learning institution.
He urged Rwandan students to take full advantage of their stay at MKU by working hard and eventually return home as skilled citizens ready for nation-building.
“Focus on your studies so that you can acquire the requisite knowledge and skills that are required in various developmental areas back in our country,” he told the students.
The Kigali campus offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, diplomas and certificates in various disciplines.
Apart from the Kigali campus, MKU has Royal FM, a commercial station operated by its School of Communication and Mass Media.
Gicharu disclosed that plans were underway to set up five English language training centres in Rwanda for the expansion of the radio station’s listenership.