PLANS UNDERWAY TO ESTABLISH A UNIVERSITY IN MAKUENI COUNTY

Efforts to establish a fully-fledged university in Makueni County have gained momentum following a formal proposal submitted to the Commission for University Education (CUE) to upgrade the Makueni Town Campus into a constituent college of South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU).
CUE has acknowledged receipt of the application and outlined the necessary steps required to move the process forward. SEKU is expected to pay a gazettement fee of Ksh 405,000, in line with Gazette Notice No. 6583, to facilitate the assessment.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., who is spearheading the initiative, confirmed the county’s commitment to realizing the dream of a university.
“The dream of a university in Makueni is on course. We are waiting for the final approval,” the governor said.
Under the Universities Regulations 2014, the proposal will undergo scrutiny, including review of documentation, inspection of resources, and evaluation by a panel comprising senior academics and technical officers. If approved, the institution will be granted a Letter of Interim Authority (LIA), allowing it to begin admitting students and forming governance structures.
Once operational under the LIA, the constituent college will be subject to annual inspections over a period of up to four years. Meeting all statutory requirements could then lead to the issuance of a full university charter.
The proposal signals a significant step forward in expanding access to higher education in Makueni County and the surrounding regions.