By BRIAN MUSYOKA 

Speaking on Friday during the 11th graduation ceremony of the University of Embu, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the Government was continuously refining the funding model to better respond to the diverse circumstances of students joining universities and TVET institutions.

Ogamba said the Government’s goal was to open opportunities equitably and ensure that no student’s talent is wasted due to lack of financial means. He said the Government had, in this regard, developed a new funding framework dubbed the Universal Student Funding Model, which focuses on investing directly in students’ future professional capacity.

The CS said the new framework would move away from the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM), introduced in 2023 and based on the Means Testing Instrument (MTI), which assessed students’ education funding according to their parents’ financial circumstances.

He noted that the Government had faced longstanding challenges in financing higher education, dating back to the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model, which was phased out in 2023 following the introduction of SCFM. According to Ogamba, the two models contributed to universities accumulating huge debts, partly due to inadequate government funding, leaving some institutions in severe financial distress.

The CS said the existing approach focused on assessing parents rather than students, which could disadvantage deserving students whenever the formula inaccurately assessed their parents’ financial ability. “We have changed that thinking by now focusing on the future of the students by funding their professional careers instead of parents’ current financial ability,” he said.

Ogamba added that the system had, in some cases, forced students to abandon careers of their choice and pursue courses that their parents could afford to finance. Under the proposed model, he said, the Government was seeking to transform university education from a household expense into a state-backed investment in human capital.

Chancellor of the University of Embu, Prof. Musili Wambua, said the increased student enrolment at the institution was a result of the quality of education being offered to students at the institution of higher learning and the trust that the people have with the university.

Prof. Wambua said the university has also been ranked among the best public universities on several occasions, attributing the strong performance to proper coordination and collaboration among the university community.

He applauded the Government for its continued funding of higher education, describing the support as a positive step towards strengthening universities and making quality education more accessible.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Daniel Mugendi said 2,367 graduands received certificates, diplomas, degrees, master’s and PhD qualifications during the graduation ceremony. He urged the graduates to utilise the skills and knowledge acquired at the university to transform their own lives and make a positive difference in the lives of others.

By BRIAN MUSYOKA 

The towns earmarked for elevation to municipal status are Runyenjes in Runyenjes Constituency, Kiritiri in Mbeere South Constituency and Siakago in Mbeere North Constituency.

The three will supplement the existing Embu Municipality, which serves as the county headquarters in Manyatta Constituency.

County Executive Committee Member for Lands Raymond Kinyua said the process is already underway following the inauguration of ad hoc committees two months ago by Governor Cecily Mbarire.

Kinyua said the committees are tasked with delineating and reviewing boundaries for the proposed municipalities before submitting their recommendations to the county government.

He described the initiative as a major milestone in Embu’s urban development agenda, saying it will lay the foundation for well-planned, sustainable and inclusive urban centres.

According to CECM Kinyua, the elevation of the towns will enhance service delivery while creating opportunities for investment and improving the quality of life for residents.

He said municipalities have greater potential to attract local and international donor funding and grants, while also facilitating improvements in infrastructure, governance and the business environment.

The CECM said the county expects the ad hoc committees to submit their report by December, after which individual municipal charters will be tabled before the County Assembly for debate, review and approval.

He said once the charters are approved and awarded by the Governor, the county will embark on establishing the necessary governance structures for the new municipalities.

Kinyua projected that the three municipalities could be fully operational by April next year, subject to completion of the approval process.

The county is also exploring collaboration with the Kirinyaga County Government to elevate Makutano Town, which straddles the two counties, to municipal status.

Kinyua said Makutano is a strategic transport and commercial hub at the intersection of the Kenol-Marua Dual Carriage and the Embu-Meru Highway, and its elevation would further boost economic growth in both counties.

By BRIAN MUSYOKA 

The man was found hanging from a tree, while the body of the woman was discovered lying beneath a mango tree.

The bodies were discovered by a farmworker who was spraying the farm before alerting the owner, who subsequently informed the police.

Residents said the two were in a romantic relationship and were known to openly display their affection. They were reportedly seen together at a nearby shopping centre on the evening before their deaths and appeared to have no disagreement.

The man is also said to have borrowed a phone from a friend and recorded a video in which he claimed that his parents did not love him and opposed his relationship with the woman. He reportedly suggested that his days on earth could be numbered.

Residents allege that the man strangled the woman before taking his own life by hanging. However, police are yet to confirm the circumstances surrounding the two deaths.

The man's uncle described him as a hot-tempered person, saying he had left his wife and two children before starting a relationship with the 24-year-old woman.

He said the family had been urging him to return home and take responsibility for his children, dismissing claims that the man was hated by his family.

Police have moved the bodies to the mortuary at Embu Level Five Hospital, where postmortems are expected to be conducted as investigations continue.

By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT 

The partnership is aimed at advancing water projects especially in areas prone to drought in order to improve the supply of the essential commodity. 

Mr Naporos said TAWWDA was implementing expanded water connections in Ukambani counties and Kajiado county. These are the regions served by TAWWDA. Among its major works are the multimillion expansion and augmentation of the Masinga-Kitui Intake Works and Kiambere-Mwingi last-mile connectivity projects.

Water CECM Peter Gitonga attended the meeting as well as other senior officials from the County Government of Kitui,  TAWWDA,  KITWASCO and KIMWASCO.