Construction of 3,000-unit hostels at Mount Kenya University in Thika will start next month, founder and chairman Dr Simon Gicharu has said.
He said the project will help improve accommodation for an increasing number of students.
Gicharu said the project is a partnership between MKU and Stag Africa.
He said the institution will receive Sh2.5 billion humanitarian grant from Stag-Africa for the project.
The hostels will be built at the university’s Happy Valley land in Landless Estate.
Gicharu spoke on Saturday during a farewell party for the departing vice chancellor Prof Stanley Waudo, who has served the university for 11 years.
“The project is part of our vision and strategic plan for the next 10 years to make this university an ultra-modern main campus,” the chairman said.
“We will receive a delegation from Stag Africa next week, which will be led by the brother of former South Africa President- Pete de Klerk. They will be here to establish and affirm what we want to do together.”
He said they shall also be supporting exchange delegations between Stellenbosch and MKU to finalise the proposal.
Meanwhile, Gicharu the patron of the Mount Kenya Foundation announced the setting up of a Sh100 million endowment fund to sponsor needy students.
This semester alone, he said, the foundation will spend Sh5 million to facilitate studies of the needy students in all MKU campuses.
“I was really touched by a case of a student who was willing to sell one of her kidneys to pay school fees, this made me start this foundation so that we can reach to other many similar cases,” the chairman said.
He urged alumni and partners to support the initiative.
Gicharu hailed Waudo as a transformative leader and a perfectionist, saying he has elevated the institution from a small college – Thika Institute of Technology – to a fully-fledged university.
“I am delighted because we are honouring a successful vice chancellor and Sad because he has to retire. Farewells are emotional affairs,” he said.
“Prof Waudo agreed to support my dream even when it was not clear to me. For that I deeply respect him."
