Artistic impression of the KAIS campus at Konza City. It is a specialised postgraduate degree-granting institution of strategic national importance, founded in collaboration with South Korea. However, scientists and professional associations at universities, national and international research institutes need to take note of President William Ruto’s major policy statement that Kenya aims to attain first-world status by 2055.
According to the President, Kenya aims to allocate two per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Research and Development (R&D).
He lamented that the country exports tea, coffee, cotton, fish, minerals and hides and skins in raw form, only to import them back at a premium as finished products.
The statements also constitute a strong wake-up call for scientific institutions and industries to help Kenya curb excessive dependency on imports and exports of raw materials.
Thus, scientists in Kenya and other African nations need to focus more on research aimed at producing goods and services for competition in local, national, regional, and global markets.
The country’s research institutes include Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), and Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI).
Still, the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) conducts research that leads to the development of effective veterinary vaccines to protect and improve the livestock industry in Kenya and other African nations.
Even more, there are very strong indicators that the country is on the path to advanced research and development activities if adequate funding is made available to the rapidly evolving Kenya Advanced Institute of Science (KAIS).
The institute’s advanced courses are mostly associated with various engineering fields, including civil, agricultural, chemical, mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering. Nuclear science has also been included among others.
However, it is notable that worldwide scientific research is already highly integrated, including the use of similar or related equipment, processes and scientific skills, among others.
Kenya can revive the much-needed Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MSTI). The country has highly skilled scientists and is among the African nations able to attain and sustain science-driven socio-economic development.
