The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Tharaka University, Professor Peter K. Muriungi, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the university’s Nyambene Campus at Konju Village in Tigania East Constituency, Meru County.
The event attracted hundreds of residents, local leaders, stakeholders, and members of the University Senate, with the area Member of Parliament, Mpuru Aburi, attending as a key guest.
During the ceremony, Professor Muriungi laid the foundation stone and unveiled the commemorative plaque, officially marking the commencement of the campus project.
The development follows extensive consultations, public participation, legal procedures, and formal approval by the University Senate to establish the campus.
Addressing the gathering, Professor Muriungi thanked the local community for its warm reception and unwavering support, noting that the success and growth of the campus would depend significantly on the partnership and goodwill of area residents.
Drawing from the experience of establishing and growing Tharaka University, he emphasized that universities are national institutions that attract students, staff, and collaborators from diverse regions and assured residents of the university’s commitment to nurturing the new campus.
“It is now up to the residents to support learners and staff from other areas so we can grow the campus and this region in general,” said Professor Muriungi.
Speaking at the event, Mpuru Aburi described the establishment of the campus as a historic milestone for Tigania East, noting that it is the first university campus to be set up in the constituency since Kenya attained independence.
He said the institution would enhance access to higher education, create opportunities for local youth, and spur socio-economic development in the region.
Residents welcomed the initiative as a transformative project expected to accelerate growth, investment, and educational opportunities in the area.
The ceremony concluded on a cultural note when Prof. Muriungi was installed as a Njuri Ncheke elder, a symbolic gesture that reflected the community’s acceptance of both the vice-chancellor and the university.
By Dickson Mwiti
