Murang’a, Kenya – In a significant move to bolster research and innovation, the Kenyan government has allocated Sh749 million for the current financial year. This funding is aimed at enhancing the sectors of research, science, technology, and innovation across higher education institutions and national research institutes.
According to Kenya News Agency, The announcement came from Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu, according to a new release by the Education Ministry. His remarks were conveyed by the Higher Education and Research PS Dr. Beatrice Inyangala during the opening ceremony of the Murang’a University International Conference. Machogu emphasized that the funding is part of the government’s broader strategy to address numerous challenges at both the national and global levels through scientific and technological advancement.
Highlighting the importance of science, technology, and innovation for social and economic growth, Machogu noted that the three-day conference, themed “Leveraging on Science, Technology, and Innovation for Economic Transformation,” provides a crucial platform for scholars. The event fosters networking and knowledge exchange among national and international participants across various fields.
The CS linked the conference’s theme to the government’s Vision 2030 goal of transforming Kenya into an industrialized middle-income nation, ensuring a high standard of living and a secure environment for its citizens. He pointed out that the impressive growth of recently industrialized countries like Brazil, China, Malaysia, and Singapore is attributed to their substantial investments in research and innovation.
Machogu stressed that research and innovation are vital for any government’s development agenda and poverty reduction efforts, contributing to economic turnaround and inclusive growth. He called upon local universities to be proactive in supplying the human capital and tools necessary for applying research findings, innovations, and discoveries to spur development and improve human welfare.
Murang’a University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dickson Nyariki, highlighted the university’s commitment to creating an environment conducive to exploring new research and innovation frontiers. “We sponsor vetted innovations and research annually and showcase them on various platforms,” said Nyariki, noting the fruitful outcomes of these investments, including several projects on the cusp of formalization.
Nyariki described innovation as a dynamic process with technology at its core and assured that the conference would update participants on the latest innovative ventures in their fields of interest. The event is designed to offer insights into current technological advancements and provide a forum for discussing critical topics such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and climate change.
Concluding, the VC emphasized that the conference serves as a call to action for collective reflection on maximizing research and innovation’s potential to shape a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous Kenya and the world.