By Meshack Ngangi
August 1, 2024
The Co-operative University of Kenya yesterday hosted the first series of CUK and University Community Sports Day at the Main Campus, Karen-Nairobi. This event brought together participants drawn from the local University neighbourhood, including CUK Business Community, Naboka Sacco, the BodaBoda Operators, and the University Staff and Students. During the event, a team from the University of Nairobi Dental Hospital provided free comprehensive oral and eye care screening to the participants.
This event aimed to establish, bolster, and sustain symbiotic relationships between the University and the immediate community as part of the institution’s initiatives to enhance its corporate social investment. Relationships between organizations and their neighbouring communities through such engagement forums spur discussions, deliberations, and declarations that ensure growth, shared prosperity, and sustainable futures.
The Vice Chancellor of The Co-operative University of Kenya, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, reiterated the need for good inter-relations between the University and the neighboring community citing the infinite opportunities of growth in the perspective of these relationships. “As a University, we are acutely cognizant of the potential of development that lies ahead of us if we present a united front in tackling our challenges, seizing opportunities of growth, and celebrating successes as one community,” acclaimed Prof. Ngamau.
The day’s sports and athletic competitions included football, 100m, 200m, egg race, sack race, and tug-of-war for both male and female categories. Participants in these activities, drawn from the University and the Community, exemplified talent, skill, and innate capabilities coupled with infinite passion for excellence.
The University’s student Football Team emerged as the winners after beating the Staff team 1-0 in the heated finals, thereby crowned the victors in the male category. In the tug-of-war, the CUK Business community vanquished the University’s team to clinch a triumph in the women’s category, whereas the University men tug-of-war emerged victorious in their cadre.
The following were the winners of different individual competitions: Maureen Simiyu (staff) and Collins Odhiambo (student) won the sack race, Maureen Soyandet (staff) and Lawrence Mutiso (community) emerged victorious in the egg race, Neville Ochieng (student) and Millicent Chepkorir (student) claimed victory in the 100m, and Brian Mutuse (student) and Millicent Chepkorir (student) won the 200m.
The awarding ceremony was presided over by Dr. Edna Musyoki, the acting director of the Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (I-TVET). She congratulated the winners of the day’s event and challenged the defeated participants to keep grinding and develop their craft to finesse.