The University Council chaired by Dr. Jeremy Bundi and the University Management board retreated for a workshop themed Building a Resilient and Sustainable University on 25-27 March 2024. The event held in Nakuru county sought to tackle the following areas of interest to the university: Understanding the Current University Education Landscape; Promoting Financial Resilience; Engaging Stakeholders and Partnerships; and CUK Productivity measurement and improvement. Prof. A. Njuguna one of the facilitators sensitized the team on issues of resource mobilization frameworks for public universities/ Corporate and Industry Engagement as a catalyst for financial growth and sustainability and Fostering partnerships with external stakeholders(Industry, philanthropic organizations, alumni networks/international agencies). He went on to further emphasize the roles and responsibilities of the Council in Financial Management. John Mose also gave an overview of the resource mobilization within government systems tackling the critical topic of lobbying within the government budget cycles. Ms. Jane Maina from the National Productivity and Competitiveness Centre (NPCC) also sensitized the members on the CUK Productivity Mainstreaming Framework which seeks to shift the focus from just achieving the set Performance Contracting targets towards measuring the output/outcomes against the resources allocated to activity and tasks. Speaking at the closing ceremony the Chairperson of the University Council indicated that the university was on the right track in ensuring that it remains resilient and sustainable appreciating the achievements that the University Management Board led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kamau Ngamau has been able to achieve. He noted that more needs to be done and that the Council was very ready to provide the necessary support to assist the university attain all the commitments made not just in the 2023/2024 Performance Contracting Cycle but also as aspired in the Strategic Plan 2022-2027. He also welcomed two council members Ms. Peris Onsarigo and Mr. John Kihara. The Vice-Chancellor on his part appreciated the guidance and wise counsel the University Council continues to provide, noting that a lot of changes are happening in the higher education sector and it is of paramount importance that as an organization we keep track of this changes.  

By Meshack Ngangi.This year presented an extraordinary turn of events during the inauguration of our three-day Annual Career and Innovation Week 2024, which was celebrated under the theme “Leveraging on Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Careers of the Future.” As an institution of higher learning, The Co-operative University of Kenya has been deliberate and particular with innovations by providing mentorship to our student innovators who have in the past competed and excelled on global forums, including the Huawei ICT Competition, which is held annually, funded, and hosted by Huawei ICT Academy. In commemorating this annual event, the University had the pleasure to host H.E. Pastor Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, E.G.H., as the Chief Guest during the official opening of the 2024 Career and Innovation Week on 19th March 2024. The Chief Guest toured different innovations exhibited by our students and high school students from Oloolaiser High School. This informed the University’s intent behind engaging high school participation during our annual career and innovation fair. In her remarks, H.E. Pastor Dorcas reiterated the transformative power that innovation and entrepreneurship hold in shaping our society and propelling our nation forward. The Chief Guest challenged The Co-operative University of Kenya to harness the potential of the rapidly evolving technological advancements and generate innovative processes that will reshape and re-imagine Kenya’s Co-operative Movement, which is a stronghold pillar supporting the economy. Further, H.E. Pastor Dorcas recognized the University’s great initiatives it continues to make. She outlined that the showcased innovations are the seeds sown and foreseen to sprout into creative entrepreneurial enterprises. The Chief Guest’s remarks were a testament to the institution’s broad objective and commitment to excellence in education and research that is geared towards nurturing the future generation of leaders, strategic thinkers, and creative innovators who will utilize technological mechanisms to spur Kenya’s economic growth and prosperity. The dynamic career and entrepreneurship landscape of the 21st century faces an unprecedented future with the invention of disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). However, students in higher education institutions must learn how to convert these threatening technologies, which bring job insecurity, into opportunities through innovations that create more career avenues. Dr. Jeremy Bundi, the University Council Chairperson, expressed the pride the institution has in the achievements of being an industry leader that has trailblazed the way for the country’s co-operative movement since independence in 1952 and development milestones attained associated with knowledge and skill nurturing learners receive for career advancement. “The skills we impart in our various programmes are of utmost importance in spurring the much-desired economic growth across every sector of the economy in Kenya, Africa, and beyond since we have integrated the fundamental tenets of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC), which are key to delivering the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” Dr. Jeremy. Our Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, PhD, E.B.S., insisted that the need to infuse innovation and technology for entrepreneurship as foundational elements the University has particularly endeavoured to ensure it has met its mandate as a public institution that provides education and training with an emphasis on co-operative development. In his speech, Prof. Ngamau underscored that the University’s five-year Strategic Plan 2022-2027 has placed a lot of emphasis on our specialized mandate, which has clearly visible fruits both for our institution and for the co-operative sector. This year’s annual Career and Innovation Week was a turn-about calendar activity that brought together more than 1,000 high school students and featured over ten (10) innovators with different incubation projects aimed at bringing sustainable solutions to problems facing Kenyan  society and transforming entrepreneurship to a more advanced tech-aligned orientation. The three-day event saw alums of The Co-operative University of Kenya led by the alum association chairperson Pauline Ngari, Robinson Maina, and Margaret Kamau turn up to mentor students on various angles of career growth.

By Meshack Ngangi The Co-operative University of Kenya’s Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) has taken quite a drastic cause after the project acquired a modern technological server that is purposely intended to digitalise the farmers’ productivity and strengthen the cooperatives in the pilot areas of Nakuru, Narok, and Baringo counties.   The server acquisition is an attestation to the progressive strides the University and the project implementation partners have taken in realising the funding goals of the project’s financier, the African Development Bank (AfDB).   This novel technological gadget has the capacity for sustainable and enhanced farmer connectivity, boosting farmer cooperatives, eliminating the perpetual risks of agricultural market cartels, and supporting the economic empowerment of the farmers. The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, speaking at the server handing over function, reiterated that the institution intends to leverage the robust potential of this technological infrastructure for streamlined and smooth farmer connectivity and seamless interactions between various stakeholders within the target value chains.    Through this noble programme and the possibilities presented by the digital server, smallholder farmers can now access crucial agricultural services and inputs through an integrated system that incorporates agro-suppliers, produce markets, and integral public services from the government.   Prof. Ngamau reaffirmed the KRTCDP’s projected potential in realising the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The result of this initiative coincides with the BETA tenets of an economically empowered and food-secure nation through collaborations between cooperative movements in key value chains such as Irish potatoes, dairy farming, and maize. The server goes a long way in helping farmers to utilise mobile technology information superhighway through smartphone-enabled systems and programmes. They will have real-time access to weather updates from the meteorological department and critical market information, which is paramount for agricultural decision-making and taking advantage of seasonal changes for optimised production.   The server goes a long way in helping farmers to utilise mobile technology information superhighway through smartphone-enabled systems and programmes. They will have real-time access to weather updates from the meteorological department and critical market information, which is paramount for agricultural decision-making and taking advantage of seasonal changes for optimised production.   At the core of this AfDB’s Fund for Africa Private Sector Assistance (FAPA) funded KRTCDP project lies the objectives of enhanced productivity, profitability, and sustainability within farmer cooperatives, hence fortifying and bringing a ripple effect in the entire agricultural sector. The beneficiaries of this initiative comprise a multi-stakeholder base, including agricultural farmer cooperatives, banking sector players such as the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, development partners, government agencies, and researchers. Elaborating on the server’s suited technical capabilities, Prof. Isaac Nyamongo, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Co-operative Development Research and Innovation (ACDRI), expressed that it has embedded dual Intel Xenon Platinum modern-tech processors.   Additionally, Prof. Nyamongo explained that the server is fitted with 24 hard drives with enhanced data storage capabilities tailored to the dynamic KRTCDP project’s particular needs and the University’s digital network.

By Meshack Ngangi The battle for supremacy and retaining victory crown at the Kenya Universities Performing Arts Association (KUPAA) 2023 Drama, Beauty Pageantry, and Film Festivals by The Co-operative University of Kenya’s Metropolitans Drama Club did not end at the Regional level but ensued to the National competitions held at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri between 3rd and 10th November 2023. This iconic Festival marked the 5th series since the organization KUPAA initiated the competitions in the Kenyan Universities and attracted over 3,000 students from 40 Universities in the country. The Metropolitans Drama Club performs the Kiswahili Play “Hali Tete” at KUPAA National Drama, Beauty Pageantry, and Film Festivals at the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri on Thursday, 9th November 2023. This year’s KUPAA Festivals were themed “Supporting Economic Transformation through Performing Arts” under the hashtag “.” The theme highlighted the core of the Government’s agenda of empowering Youth in Kenya through leveraging talents and abilities beyond the classroom setting. KUPAA’s mandate, which is to improve the standing of Kenya’s performing and visual arts, music, and film industry through a commitment to developing work of the highest quality and promoting music, theatre, visual arts, and film, was the spearheading spirit behind the resounding success of this event. The participation of CUK students at the national Festivals organized by KUPAA resonated with the University’s vision of becoming a University of excellence in education, research, innovation, and co-operative training that traverses the classroom confines but seeks to nurture all-rounded graduates, competent enough to suit the contemporary world. The University utterly recognizes the essence and centrality of harnessing learners’ talents for an empowered society in pursuit of socio-economic transformation. The CUK’s Metropolitans Drama Club members in action during the 5th KUPAA National Drama, Beauty Pageantry, and Film Festivals held at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri. Our University Drama Club undertook and competed on three items in different performing arts genres: a dramatized African play (Mbaitu Nimukuly’a), a Kiswahili Play (Hali Tete), and a Puppetry. These creative works of art performed differently, with the dramatized African praise poetry, acted by Lucas Kalonzo, scooped the 1st runners-up, followed by the Kiswahili play emerging the 2nd runners-up and puppetry garnering the 3rd runners-up position in the stiffly competitive national KUPAA Festivals. Nonetheless, the University’s Metropolitans Drama Club’s Hali Tete, under the short film category, won several awards as the short film with the best sound design and edited short film. Also, Abdulaziz Dima, a member of the Drama Club and a first-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Finance at CUK, won the best actor award under the short film category. The University takes pride in the incredible results posted by The Metropolitans at the National Drama Festivals and pledges support to all registered student clubs.

UNIVERSITY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES THE KENYA RURAL TRANSFORMATION DIGITAL CENTERS PLATFORM (KRTDCP) PROJECT IN NAKURU COUNTY – MAY 2023 The Agricultural Secretary, State Department of Crop Development Mr. Josphat Muhunyu (seated centre) together with the Vice Chancellor Prof Kamau Ngamau, and other dignitaries and stakeholders during the KRTDCP project launch in Nakuru County on May 8, 2023 The Co-operative University has officially launched the Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) project which aims at putting farmers at the centre of a single electronic “ecosystem” and connecting them with all the sectors in the agricultural value chain. Speaking at the official launching ceremony on Monday, May 8, 2023, in Nakuru County, the Agricultural Secretary, State Department of Crop Development Mr. Josphat Muhunyu noted that the government is keen on ensuring that farmers are able to gain maximum returns from their produce. He lauded the University for mooting and getting funding for this great project noting that  “The university through this project is keen on developing African Solutions for African challenges.” The Chief Guest, Agricultural Secretary, State Department of Crop Development Mr. Josphat Muhunyu The Co-operative University has officially launched the Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) project which aims at putting farmers at the centre of a single electronic “ecosystem” and connecting them with all the sectors in the agricultural value chain. Speaking at the official launching ceremony on Monday, May 8, 2023, in Nakuru County, the Agricultural Secretary, State Department of Crop Development Mr. Josphat Muhunyu noted that the government is keen on ensuring that farmers are able to gain maximum returns from their produce. He lauded the University for mooting and getting funding for this great project noting that  “The university through this project is keen on developing African Solutions for African challenges.” The Co-operative University has officially launched the Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) project which aims at putting farmers at the centre of a single electronic “ecosystem” and connecting them with all the sectors in the agricultural value chain. Speaking at the official launching ceremony on Monday, May 8, 2023, in Nakuru County, the Agricultural Secretary, State Department of Crop Development Mr. Josphat Muhunyu noted that the government is keen on ensuring that farmers are able to gain maximum returns from their produce. He lauded the University for mooting and getting funding for this great project noting that  “The university through this project is keen on developing African Solutions for African challenges.” The KRTCDP project which is to be implemented by The Co-operative University of Kenya has been supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Fund for Africa Private Sector Assistance (FAPA). The pilot phase of the project will be implemented in Nakuru, Baringo, and Narok counties, with an initial focus on maize, Irish potatoes, and dairy. The Vice Chancellor speaks to the media about the KRTDCP Project The Vice Chancellor, Prof Kamau Ngamau, in his opening remarks, commended the team from the university for the initiative and progress made by the project noting that it fits in very well with the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) that is aimed at transforming the lives from the bottom. “I am delighted that we are launching the KRTCDP project that is designed to enable smallholder farmers to connect to all critical players in the agricultural forward and backward value chains. Through the shared digital platform, farmers will be able to easily engage input suppliers, agro-dealers, financiers, insurance agencies, marketers, and buyers, among other service providers, on a mobile phone platform.” Prof Isaac Nyamongo, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Co-operative Development, Research and Innovation (DVC-ACDRI), in his remarks, reiterated that the KRTCDP projects goal is that of increasing productivity, profitability, and sustainability of agricultural cooperatives and consequently impacting the entire agriculture/food trade value chain and spurring holistic growth across the agricultural sector. He further appreciated the African Development Bank for funding the project and the consultants who have been selected to develop the platform. The project is expected to be completed in 3 years and will culminate in the official launch of the complete digital platform. A section of the stakeholders during the official launch of the KRTDCP Project in Nakuru County on May 8, 2023

By Meshack Ngangi History will remember June 2023 as a milestone-marking month since the first-ever Co-operative Movement Stakeholders’ Annual Conference was held in Mombasa between the 13th and 15th. The Co-operative University of Kenya organized this transformative event in collaboration with the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development. Ministry of Co-operatives & MSMEs Development CS Hon. Simon Chelugui (centre seated) flanked by PS Patrick Kilemi (seated 6th left), University Council Chairperson Dr. Jeremy Bundi (seated 6th right), University Management Board, and Delegates in the first Co-operative Movement Stakeholders’ Annual Conference pose for a photo during the opening ceremony on 13th June 2023. Council Chairperson Dr. Jeremy Bundi (centre seated) and Vice Chancellor Prof. Kamau Ngamau (seated 5th left)lead the CUK Delegation during a photo session after concluding the Conference. The conference theme Co-operative Business Model for Socio-Economic Transformation closely aligns with the government’s agenda and its principal focus leveraged on optimizing the foundational tenets of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). This well-curated theme goes deeper than the scribbled words. It powerfully advocates for vibrancy in the co-operative sector by calling all stakeholders to harness and utilize its unlimited potential to unlock economic gateways in diversely distributed value chains under which co-operatives operate.         Delegates in the First Co-operative Movement Stakeholders’ Annual Conference follow presentations during the three-day event held at Sarova Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa. Speaking at the conference, the Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Simon Chelugui, outlined that the co-operative movement has a core mandate in Kenya’s economy and has proven to be a turn-around sector that has impacted the lives of millions of Kenyans through economic empowerment. In addition, he highlighted the Ministry’s devotion to ensuring that policy structures are developed to guarantee the sustainability of co-operatives and promise a streamlined future through the Co-operative Amendment Bill 2023.   At the conference, delegates representing worker co-operatives, transport co-operatives, housing co-operatives, mining and blue economy co-operatives, and platform co-operatives shared their experiences through plenary discussions. Also, this game-changing stakeholder’s conference imparted new insights to revamp and reenergize the co-operative sector through presentations delivered by vastly knowledgeable speakers vouched from profound industry leaders and front-running champions of co-operatives.                   From the conference, the economic revolution of our country has been pegged on the transformative role of the co-operative movement, which ranks first in Africa and seventh (7th) globally. The topics of discourses in the three-day event traversed the practices and opportunities of the co-operative business model, new frontiers for co-operative development, technology, and cyber security.       More areas of the conference engagements included expanding the co-operative enterprise in the East and Central African region, opportunities for export marketing and farmer financing, and CUK’s facilitative role in co-operative development, among others. Altogether, these tailored topics converged at the point of farmer co-operatives through value addition and aggregation of produce within the precincts of well-facilitated market systems. The Ministry, government representatives, co-operative leaders, and delegates of the Co-operative Movement Stakeholder’s Conference hailed the efforts of The Co-operative University of Kenya through its administration in initiating, organizing, and overseeing the success of the conference since it created an incredible impact among the co-operators. In the same spirit, CUK appreciated the conference attendees and, with great regard, acknowledged the support of different event partners and sponsors, including the International Labour Organization, Co-operative Bank, Safaricom, Sidian Bank, CIC Group, and New KPCU.