RUTO ADMITS KAMAGAMBO UNIVERSITY INTO HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM AS TOTAL HITS 90.

The ceremony took place at Kisumu State Lodge during the President’s ongoing development tour of the Nyanza region. The Letter of Interim Authority allows Kamagambo to commence university operations under the supervision of the Commission for University Education (CUE). It may establish governing organs, develop academic resources and, with CUE approval, admit students to its initial programmes.

“Today, from the lakeside city of Kisumu, we admit Kamagambo University into Kenya’s higher-education system through the award of a Letter of Interim Authority,” Ruto said. He stressed that the status is provisional. “The word ‘interim’ matters. Kamagambo has crossed the threshold, but it has not reached its destination. The confidence expressed today must now be earned every day through academic integrity, sound governance, prudent stewardship and uncompromising quality.”



The university will initially offer three degree programmes subject to CUE approval: Bachelor of Education in Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Theology with Entrepreneurship, and Bachelor of Business Administration with Entrepreneurship. Ruto said the institution must demonstrate consistent quality before qualifying for a full university charter.

Kamagambo traces its origins to a Seventh-day Adventist mission established in 1912. It later operated as Kamagambo Adventist Teachers’ College, training primary school teachers who served across Kenya. It becomes the third private university founded by the Adventist Church in the country, following the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton in Nandi County and the Adventist University of Africa in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado.

“An institution that trained teachers will now educate professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders. Its history gives it a foundation while its performance will determine its future,” Ruto said. He urged the university’s management and trustees to prioritise excellence, research and practical solutions relevant to the Lake Region and Migori County.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba presented the Letter of Interim Authority on the recommendation of the CUE. Commission chair Prof James Onyango Owino said the agency would continue to monitor, guide and support the institution to safeguard the interests of students, parents, staff and the wider community.



Ruto noted that Kenya’s higher education sector has expanded significantly. The CUE recorded about 630,000 students pursuing degree programmes in 2024, with nearly 124,000 graduates that year, up from approximately 100,000 the previous year. He cautioned that expansion must be matched by quality and relevance, stating that universities would ultimately be judged by the competence of their graduates and the societal value of their research.

The President directed Kamagambo to root its teaching and research in local realities and to produce teachers capable of delivering competency-based education, principled theologians and business graduates able to strengthen enterprises and value chains. He called on residents of Migori and the wider Nyanza region to support the institution while holding it to high standards.

The award marks a new chapter for the long-standing college as it transitions into an autonomous private university under Adventist Church management. Officials said the interim authority represents recognition of progress made while placing a clear obligation on the institution to meet the standards required for a full charter.