A section of former Baringo Members of County Assembly (MCAs) has challenged current elected leaders to agree on the exact location of a proposed public university to facilitate its immediate establishment.
Led by Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) director Reuben Chepsongol, who was a former Bartabwa MCA, they noted that the proposal to have the only university in the county is long overdue and should not be delayed any further because of bickering.
Flanked by former MCAs Silas Tochim (Tenges Ward) and Jeniffer Kabon (Kapropita), Chepsongol spoke during a presser in Kabarnet town on Wednesday, where he urged local leaders to quickly come to an agreement instead of the push and shove witnessed, which has disadvantaged the county in terms of development.
He said that the county is in need of a university to boost education standards as well as minimise the cost of parents taking their children to distant institutions for higher education.
“A university will also boost our economy through enhanced businesses and create employment for our people,” Chepsongol explained.
His sentiments were echoed by Tochim, who lamented that the current leadership still has not made a conclusive decision on the matter despite calls by President William Ruto for them to involve all stakeholders in the location of the university.
The Tenges legislator said that area leaders need to take advantage of the fact that the national government is willing to support funding for the establishment of a university in the region.
“We have the facilities, infrastructure, and sufficient land for the establishment of such institutions; it is only the goodwill of our local leaders that is needed,” said Tochim.
Kabon, in her remarks, challenged Governor Benjamin Cheboi, Senator William Cheptumo, and Woman Representative Florence Jematia to take charge of negotiations with parliamentarians from the region who seemed to be in disagreement on the exact location for the establishment of the public institution.
The Kapropita MCA, who also welcomed President Ruto’s tour to the region for development purposes today and Thursday, said that the proposed institution of higher education can have satellite campuses in the various sub-counties in order to benefit all areas of the county.
Governor Cheboi, who spoke separately, welcomed President Ruto to the county to preside over the commissioning of various projects, including the launching of the Mogotio-Kapitur-Lake Bogoria-Kisanana-Kamukunji road as well as the issuance of over 20,000 title deeds to land owners.
He urged residents to turn up in large numbers to welcome the president for the one-day tour of development projects, which he said is a milestone in transforming the livelihoods of local communities.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
