Mount Kenya University Vice Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi (right) and MKU Chairman and Founder Prof. Simon Gicharu, joined by CPA Dr. Aurelia Rono, Principal Secretary, State Department for Parliamentary Affairs, present a Sh6.5 million dummy cheque to Lawrence Lorunyei Ekiru, who received the Outstanding Alumni Award in the Community Service Category during the institution’s 28th graduation ceremony. MKU is rolling out a Sh100 million alumni grant initiative that will be implemented over a 10-year period and recognise outstanding alumni while helping them deepen their impact in communities. PHOTO: JOHN MUCHUCHA
Mount Kenya University announced that it will give a Sh100 million alumni grant implemented over a 10-year period that aims at supporting its past students to further excel in different fields.
The first beneficiary of the grant was unveiled yesterday during the university’s 28th graduation ceremony.
Lawrence Lorunyei Ekiru received Sh6.5 million that is expected to further help him advance a peacebuilding and economic empowerment programme within the Turkana, Samburu, and Pokot communities.
The MKU Alumni Extra-Mile Recognition is aimed at encouraging the “Gesture of Mount Kenya University Alumni Extra-Mile” support to the community and their sterling contribution to the society.
“Moving forward into the future, the Board has set aside Sh100 million for the appreciation of our Alumni. This is a grant to keep MKU’s alumni doing what they are doing in a better way,” said Prof. Simon Gicharu, the founder and chairman of MKU.
“The cash price given to beneficiaries of the Alumni annual awards should go towards improving on what they are doing. Upon receiving the cash award, they shall ensure they spend the cash award in what they were nominated for or that special engagement that led to their nomination.”
“These include people who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation, and service to society, their professions, and the University community,” he said.
The policy recognises alumni excelling in the community service, professional excellence, public service and leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship and global impact. Lawrence Lorunyei Ekiru received the Outstanding Alumni Award in the Community Service Category during Friday’s graduation ceremony. He is the MCA (Member of County Assembly) for Nachola Ward in Samburu County. He holds a Master's degree in Public Administration and Management and a Bachelor’s degrees in Community Development, both from Mount Kenya University
“MKU did more than educate me—it nurtured my heart for service and taught me the transformative power of using knowledge to uplift communities,” he said, addressing graduands at the graduation ceremony.
Steve Thompson Magana (OGA Obinna)
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School of Social sciences, celebrates after been awarded with BMMC during mount kenya University 28th graduation ceremony.PHOTO: JOHN MUCHUCHA
Steve Thompson Magana (OGA Obinna) amaong the graduates during mount kenya University 28th graduation ceremony.PHOTO: JOHN MUCHUCHA
He has also played a role in expanding education institutions as the chairman of the Education and Vocational Training Committee, leading the construction of 16 ECDE centers, 7 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, and a TVET center. He received Sh6.5 million that is expected to further advance his community work.
“These experiences remind me that real and lasting change comes from people working hand in hand. For that reason, this award belongs just as much to the communities I serve as it does to me.”
Mount Kenya University Chairman and founder Prof. Simon Gicharu(right) with MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi , congratulates Mr. Antony Ng’ang’a Mwaura – Chairman, Kenya Rural Roads awarded with Masters of business administration in strategic management Authority during the institution’s 28th graduation ceremony. MKU is rolling out a Sh100 million alumni grant initiative that will be implemented over a 10 year period and recognise outstanding alumni while helping them deepen their impact in communities./PHOTO: JOHN MUCHUCHA
“This is a big leap forward, as the Humanoid Robot is a central equipment in advancing AI education, education robotics literacy, interdisciplinary research, student innovation, and teacher training in alignment with MKU’s AI Strategy and Kenya’s Digital Transformation Agenda,” he said.
Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, MKU Vice-Chancellor, said the institution continued to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship through enhancing its curricula as well as empowering students to venture into different areas, with some of the efforts bearing fruit with emergence of new innovations that are ready to be tested in the market.
“MKU has continued to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship, and through our Innovation and Incubation Centre, we have built an environment where ideas are transformed into practical, impactful enterprises that address real-world challenges,” he said.
“Among the innovations emerging from this ecosystem is the ElementPay, a cutting-edge platform that enables fast, low-fee everyday payments using crypto wallets. This innovation was recently presented at an Investor Readiness Program in Bali, Indonesia, showcasing the global competitiveness of our innovators and the strength of the ecosystem we are building at MKU.”
Prof Jaganyi also said that aside from academics, the university had during the year excelled in other fields, including Film Creative and Performing Arts, where the university was ranked the best private university overall at the 97th Kenya National Music Festivals. It also emerged the overall winners at the Kenya University Sports Federation (KUSF) National Athletics Championship 2025 while MKU’s tennis team finished the second best overall at the Federation of Africa University (FASU).
The University for the second year in a row showcased its performances at the 8th edition of the East Africa Music, Dance and Drama festival (EAMDD) held in Kampala Uganda. The university also has inked partnerships, including a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy (ADMA) that will strengthen training at Malindi Maritime Academy.
There were also major gains made during the year in line with MKU’s partnership with Germany’s Hochschule Koblenz (Koblenz University), and German healthcare institutions courtesy of AG-Career Hub, whereby 54 qualified nursing apprentices in four cohorts to were transitioned to Germany to pursue careers in healthcare.
The 5th cohort is scheduled to travel to Germany in March 2026. MKU is also moving to establish a Dental School that is equipped with state-of-the-art dental chairs, phantom heads, and fully equipped labs. It has also renovated the Dental Clinic at the Thika Level 5 Hospital for use by the proposed Dental School.
The university also plans to launch the ODEL Regional Centre in Kampala, Uganda, under the Equip Africa Institute’s ODEL Centre and Online Education in April 2026 that will have capacity to accommodate 500 students. The university also expanded its affiliation in Rwanda through the establishment of the Kigali Paramount Hotel where Mount Kenya University’s hospitality students have been crossing over to Rwanda for attachments and internship opportunities.
The four-star luxury hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, is located in the Kicukiro District of Kigali town and neighbours Mount Kigali University (Rwanda). MKU is also planning to expand its school of hospitality’s reach to Kilifi, where it is setting up the Vipingo Beach Front Hotel, a five-star facility for training of Hospitality students to make them market-ready.
Prof John Struthers, MKU Chancellor, lauded the collaborations and expanded reach by the university, which he noted echoed the graduation theme, “From Knowledge to Nation Building: Advancing Responsible Leadership and Governance through Higher Education Institutions.”
“Some of the new partnerships are at the county government level, others are with local universities and organisations, while others are with regional and overseas universities and industries,” he said.
He added that the institution continued engagement as the United Nations Academic Impact SDG 9 Hub Chair, where a new partner, the Hermilio Valdizán National University of Peru, had come on board to serve under the global leadership and coordination of MKU between 2025 and 2027.
Dr. Aurelia Rono, Principal Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs, who was the chief guest at the graduation, said the government appreciated the role academia plays in propelling Kenya forward.
“In the decision-making spaces of the Executive, we recognize the value that academia brings to the table in terms of translating knowledge generated in institutions such as MKU into actionable policies and accountable governance structures,” he said, while commending student-led initiatives that are translating to tangible change in the society.
“We celebrate small and big success stories like the student-led Nanaheal Enterprises and EcoBlue, which is turning pineapple waste into carbon-negative fertiliser and harnessing clean drinking water from the atmosphere.”
“I wish to note that these are not just brilliant business ideas; they are solid examples of knowledge applied to solve the triple challenge of agriculture, climate change, and waste management. It is a direct contribution to national economic sustainability.”
He also urged the graduating class to take charge of Kenya’s future, which he noted demanded leaders not to be spectators, but participants and change-actors.
Your degree is a tool for service; use it to build ethical businesses, to implement fair policies, and to mentor the next generation. Be the engineers of the infrastructure, the innovators of the technology, and the custodians of the governance that Kenya deserves,” he said
