MKU signs a new agreement with a South African firm on youth hostels

Mount Kenya University (MKU) has signed a memorandum of understanding with a South African property developer for the construction of a state-of-the-art 3,000-bed youth hostel at its Thika campus.

Kabusha Investments (PTY) Ltd, operating as Stag African, should design, finance and build the facilities.

The company will then operate the home for a period agreed by both parties and then transfer it to the university. The company is based in Cape Town.

DEVELOPMENT

The university "will provide Stag African with the layout (s) of the site (s) proposed for development", all necessary documentation and land for development.

In a note to the university board chairman, Simon Gicharu, chairman of the board, said a Stag African team would visit MKU from August 12 to 18 to visit the project site and sign the joint venture agreement. University officials toured South Africa last month to "lay the foundation for the joint venture partnership."


Education Secretary George Magoha supported the project, saying it was part of the Big Four agenda.

"Recognizing the shortage (s) of student housing needed, the Kenyan government fully supports the initiatives taken to address the underlying shortcomings," reads a letter to Vice Chancellor Stanley Waudo, seen by the Sunday Nation.

Mount Kenya University (MKU) said it plans to establish electronic campuses in Angola to tap the growing government-to-government links between Nairobi and Luanda.

At the Conference on Trade and Investment between Kenya and Angola in 2019 last week, Vincent Gaitho, vice president of MKU, said the institution wanted to build on recent bilateral policies to open African markets.

ONLINE LEARNING CENTERS

"There are huge opportunities that remain untapped between the two countries," he told Nation after the conference. Industry leaders from Kenya and Angola met in Luanda at the conference for what they called "intelligence gathering" in the markets.

Although Mr. Gaitho did not specify the deadlines, he indicated that MKU was discussing with the Angolan authorities the possibility of creating e-learning centers and physical campuses, as well as language exchange programs allowing students from both sides to learn English, Portuguese and Kiswahili.

"Students will be encouraged to reduce their geographical distances and to pursue studies in MKU programs in Angola.

Through education, we can connect Africa and make the continent competitive in the globalized world, "he said.