News and Events

SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

The School runs a community outreach programme aimed at mentoring high school students to achieve their career goals as well as promoting courses offered in the school and University at large. On Friday the 12^th November, we hosted 47 students and 3 teachers from Mutonguni Girls, Machakos County for a career mentorship programme. This programme helps give the form four students clarity of mind when it comes to career options and an indepth knowledge of what each career entails. 

Students from Mutonguni Girls visit our Research and innovation centre.

We are so delighted to celebrate our 8th graduation today. A total number of 1342 graduands were conferred with various degrees, 1 honorary, 1 doctorate, 12 masters and 1328 bachelors degree.
Arch. David Muoka Mutiso was also conferred with a Doctor of Science degree (Honoris Causa) during the celebration. This decision made by the University Council and Senate was made following Arch. Mutiso's tremendous contributions in the field of architecture, building and construction where he has excelled both as a leader and as an expert. Arch. Mutiso also served as the 2nd Chairman of Ukamba Agricultural Institute (UKAI), which was the predecessor of the South Eastern University College which later evolved to the current South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU).
The Chief Guest, Hon. Mumina Bonaya, the Chief Administrative Secretary, State Department for Early Learning and Basic Education and University Education and Research while congratulating the graduands, lauded the university on the milestones that we have made as a learning institution even in the face of the game changer, Covid 19.
The Chairman of Council, Dr. Swabah Omar, in her speech, outlined the progress the institution as made in the past, the laid out the plans of development that are currently a work in progress and expressed gratitude for the support that the government has extended to the university. She expressed the council full commitment to work with the management and staff to enable the university attain its vision of being a globally competitive centre of excellence in teaching, research, innovation and service.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muluvi, expressed the milestones we have made as an institution one being that, the University got accreditation from the TIVET Authority to offer TIVET courses both at diploma and certificate levels. We also got the first cohort of government sponsored engineering students this September. We also received the interim authority to offer bachelor of medical laboratory science and received accreditation to offer Bachelor of Public Health.
We congratulate our class of 2021!!

The School runs a community outreach programme aimed at mentoring high school students to achieve their academic goals and promoting courses offered within the School and the University at large.
On 2^nd November, 2021, the department of Environmental Science and Land Resources Management visited St. Paul’s Kwa Vonza Secondary School for a career talk. During the visit, all the students in the school participated and a presentation about the university, courses and opportunities within the environmental sector and academic excellence and discipline was done by the staff present.
On 3^rd Novemebr, the Department of ESLR&M also hosted form four students from Kwawanzilu Mixed Secondary School. A day interaction between the students and the staff in the department happened whereby, various labs within the School of Agriculture, Environment, Water and Natural resources were visited by the students. The students also visited the Library within the Main Campus, the School of engineering and the graduation square and the School of education, humanities and social sciences. A public lecture was also done about the university and on various courses within the environmental sector. A brief presentation of KUCCPS requirements for the degrees within the school was also done.

A team from Murang’a University led by Prof. Beatrice Mugendi, DVC, Finance and Development toured our Wote Campus. The team was attending a different meeting in Wote Town but were gracious enough to create time to visit our campus and see how much we have grown as an institution. It was also a chance for the team to see what they can learn from us as we have also had the opportunity to learn from them and we all know that learning is a continuous process.
They were largely impressed by our state-of-the-Art complex and the many facilities that the complex houses.

A new set of SEKUSA Officials is set to take over office in a few days after the conclusion of a peaceful election exercise conducted today. We have nothing but lots of gratitude for the dedication and diligent service offered to the student community by the outgoing team and we trust that there will be a smooth transition between the outgoing and incoming SEKUSA Officials.
The Chairperson of the SEKUSA Electoral Committee, Prof. Mutisya lauded the student community for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and exercising their democratic right through the ballot. The newly elected council will steer the Association for the next year and work together with the student community and the university management for the advancement of the institution.
There was a tie in the Satellite Campus Representatives elections and a re-run of the same has been scheduled for Monday, 15^th November, 2021.

Dr. Eija Laitinen, PBL-BioAfrica Project Manager and Principal Research Scientist from HAMK Bio Research Lab paid courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor to further discuss the engagement of our institution as a partner of the PLB-BioAfrica Project.

PBL-BioAfrica is a collaborative project for strengthening bioeconomy education through promoting (problem-based learning), entrepreneurship, innovation and digital learning methods in Sub Saharan Africa.
The four-year-old project kicked off in November, 2021 and the digital learning and teaching will enable the teams to reach a large of young Africans. SEKU is one of the partner institutions in the project.
Dr. Eija also toured the university and held a meeting with the SEKU Project Team to get updates on the project management, trainings and student challenges among others.

We were privileged to have the Director General of Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA) Dr. Eusebius Mukhwana deliver a public lecture at our institution on the place of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the National Development Agenda.

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The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) is an Independent National Human Rights Institution with the core mandate of promotion and protection of human rights in Kenya.

The Commission's CEO, Dr. Bernard Mogesa, accompanied by a team of four officers held a meeting with our Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muluvi to discuss the status of human rights amid covid 19 pandemic in the university. There were also discussions on exploring possible avenues for collaboration between the two institutions.
The Commission lauded the efforts made by learning institutions in promotion and protection of human rights trough service delivery to the public.

A 2-day farmers capacity building workshop which brought together farmers from different parts of the expansive Kitui County was held at SEKU. The workshop was organised in partnership between Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG) and SEKU.

SEKU has since its inception been working and partnering with local communities in the areas of dryland agriculture, water, environment and natural resources through research, capacity building, tree planting, water resources management and climate change adaptation. While officially opening the workshop, the Vice-Chancellor emphasised that the objective of the workshop which is capacity building falls squarely within the mandate of the university.
The County Executive Committee Member, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Kitui County Government, Hon. Emmanuel Kisangau was also present. The Agricultural Engineer spoke about the incentives and policy pathways at the County government level that have been devised to support value addition and adaptation and mitigation towards the changing climate.
The farmers also got an opportunity to share perspectives and coping mechanisms in the face of the changing local climatic conditions and their expectations and key areas for capacity strengthening.

We were privileged to host the Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof. George Magoha when he visited our Wote campus on an inspection mission.
As he went round the state-of-the-art facilities at the campus, the Cabinet Secretary was impressed and even commended that the building has been done to the highest international standards.

He was also impressed by the teaching staff, non-teaching staff ratio at our institution which stands at 60:40 and lauded the leadership and background training of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muluvi whom he has known for long even when SEKU was a constituent college of the Nairobi University.
“As you move to reorganize your universities, be careful not to dismantle the entire structure, some of the structures may require action from the Act,” Prof. Magoha advised citing the ongoing university reforms.
He also encouraged the planting of more trees to create a microclimate for the students that will come in future.

The Commission for University Education (CUE) visited our Wote Campus on a technical inspection mission of the campus. The three-member team was made up of the CEO, Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi, Mr. Joseph Musyoki, the Senior Assistant Commission Secretary and Ms. Monica Gachunga from the Institutional Accreditation Department.

The commission is committed to ensuring increased access to sustainable quality university education and training through planning, coordination, resource mobilization, quality assurance enhancement and information service.
The main purpose of the visit was to meet and discuss the administrative governance of the specific campus and do a physical inspection of the facilities. Going round the institution, the team was happy about the strides SEKU as an institution of learning is making.

South Eastern Kenya University is now set to start technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes. This follows the successful evaluation of SEKU’s facilities and human resources by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) in the month of May this year during which the University was found to have fulfilled the requirements for registration and licensing.

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A two-member team from Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) visited our institution to access our readiness to offer a new program in the School of Nursing and Public Health, Bachelor of Science, Medical Laboratory Sciences (Bsc MLS) upon accreditation.

KMLTTB is the body with the mandate to exercise general supervision and control over training business, practice and employment of lab technicians and technologists. On this visit, the team offered great insight into how best we can prepare ourselves in terms of resources and facilities as we await the go ahead to roll out the program.

South Eastern Kenya University, as a community is sparing no effort to fight the spread of the corona virus. The University’s department of physical sciences has produced hand sanitizers which will be used by staff, students upon resumption and the community at large to help in fighting against the spread of COVID-19.

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Eighteen outstanding departments at universities in 10 countries across the globe have been chosen to receive scientific equipment through the 2020 Instrumental Access program.
Through Instrumental Access, Seeding Labs makes high-quality laboratory equipment and supplies available to university departments and research institutes in developing countries.
Our goal is to help create sustainable scientific infrastructure that increases research capacity and empowers every scientist to change the world.
The 18 awardees chosen for our 2020 Instrumental Access program were hand-picked from a pool of 58 applications received from 20 countries—underscoring the global need for scientific infrastructure.
During a rigorous vetting process, each applicant outlined the ways that an infusion of lab equipment would remove barriers to STEM education and research at their institution.
“Our 2020 Instrumental Access awardees were selected for their potential to solve problems and change lives through science,” says Christina Viola Srivastava, Director of Programs at Seeding Labs. “We welcome them to our Instrumental Access network and look forward to working with each awardee to strengthen their infrastructure.”

The 2020 Instrumental Access awardees are:

From South Asia

• Jagannath University: Department of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology; Dhaka, Bangladesh

From East Africa

• Addis Ababa University: Center for Innovative Drug Development & Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa); Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Mkwawa University College of Education: Department of Chemistry; Iringa, Tanzania
• Sokoine University of Agriculture: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry & Pharmacology; Morogoro, Tanzania
• South Eastern Kenya University: Department of Life Sciences; Kitui, Kenya
• Taita Taveta University: Department of Horticulture; Voi, Kenya

From West Africa

• Ashesi University: Department of Engineering; Accra, Ghana
• Ondo State University of Science & Technology: Department of Biological Sciences; Akure, Nigeria
• Umaru Musa Yar'adua University: Faculty of Natural & Applied Sciences; Katsina, Nigeria
• Université d'Abomey-Calavi: Department of Human Biology; Cotonou, Benin
• Université de Ngaoundéré: Department of Biological Sciences; Yaoundé, Cameroon
• University of Benin: Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation; Benin City, Nigeria
• University of Energy & Natural Resources: Department of Chemical Sciences; Sunyani, Ghana
• University of Mines & Technology: Department of Minerals Engineering; Tarkwa, Ghana
• University of Port Harcourt: Department of Plant Science & Biotechnology; Port Harcourt, Nigeria

From Southern Africa

• Bindura University of Science Education: Department of Science & Mathematics Education; Bindura, Zimbabwe
• Midlands State University: Department of Chemical Technology; Gweru, Zimbabwe
• University of Namibia: Department of Biological Sciences; Windhoek, Namibia

South Eastern Kenya University has started the mass production of N95 facemasks and Hand sanitizers to help in fighting the spread of COVID-19.The Clothing and Textile Department has been working tirelessly to produce the masks with some of them already in use by members of staff.The disposable masks create a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and contaminants in the immediate environment.
The N95 masks have the highest COVID-19 protection level with 95 percent virus protection, and 100 percent bacteria, dust and pollen efficacy. The masks, which are made from non-woven fabric, light poly-poplin and medium poly-poplin fabric, with non-woven strip, will be used by the staff of the University with a surplus for supply to the surrounding community.
The Department of Physical Sciences also recently embarked on production of Hand sanitizers after an approval was given by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics . The sanitizers are a supplement or alternative to hand washing with soap and water.

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South Eastern Kenya University has started the production of personal protective equipment to combat the spread of the novel COVID-19.
On Wednesday, the University’s School of Engineering and Technology rolled out the production of face masks, which have been billed as one of the main preventive of the global pandemic.
According to the dean, the School’s Clothing and Textile Department has a production capacity for 300 N9% masks per day at the Main Campus in Kitui.
The N95 masks have the highest COVID-19 protection level with 95 percent virus protection, and 100 percent efficacy on bacteria, dust and pollen. According to Eng. Kioko, the masks, which are made from non-woven fabric, light poly-poplin a n d medium poly-poplin fabric, with non-woven strip, will be used by the staff of the University with a surplus for supply to the surrounding community. While announcing the break through on Wednesday this week, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Geoffrey Muluvi, said that “universities exist to solve problems facing the people. We are now making our rightful contribution.” He urged other schools and departments of the University to come up with innovative ways to respond to “this global problem.”
Eng. Kioko said the School is also looking into the possibilities of designing and producing electric incinerators for disposal.

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Members of University of Embu led by their Chairperson, Ms. Caroline Chepkemoi visited SEKU to learn and interact with different units on the running and management of students’ academic affairs, support and welfare services. Our students’ Governing Council also had an opportunity to learn from the interaction.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Geoffrey Muluvi poses for a photo with the team from University of Embu and staff and students from SEKU.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Geoffrey Muluvi, with some members of the University of Embu students Governing Council

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muluvi and the Dean of Students, Prof. Njoka and other members of staff from University of Embu.

That vile message you post on a social media platform in the heat of the moment could lead to someone’s death, and land you in jail.
We live in a world where the technology has greatly advanced over the years and we currently even have machine to machine (M2M) communication, a technology through which one machine communicates with another and almost everyone has access to the devices.
There are several forms of cybercrimes, including hacking, identity theft, scamming, spamming, stalking, software piracy and cyber bullying, according to Dr. Makau Mutua, a senior information and communication technology lecturer at Meru University of Science and Technology.

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Introduction

• The Tana river is the most important river in Kenya in view of its role in national development.
• Five HEP dams in the Upper Tana Basin - Kindaruma, Kiambere, Kamburu, Gitaru and Masinga.
• The Masinga Dam is the most significant in terms of regulating the hydrology of the Tana river due to its size.
• Studies on the effects of soil erosion and impacts in the Upper Tana Basin (e.g. Dunne and Ongwenyi, 1976; Ongwenyi, 1978; Edwards, 1979; Ongwenyi, 1985; Brown et
  al., 1996; Schneider and Brown, 1998; Pacini et al., 1998; Maingi and Marsh, 2001; Maingi and Marsh, 2002).
• Studies on the effects of landuse change and water abstraction on streamflow in the Upper Tana basin (Njogu et al., 2018) and Mwendwa et al 2019).
• Studies on the environmental impacts of the hydrologic alterations of the flow of the Tana river on the riverine forests (Pacini et al., 1998; Maingi and Marsh, 2001; Maingi
  and Marsh, 2002).
• Few studies on the hydrology of the Tana river in the Lower Tana Basin (Kitheka et al., 2003 and 2005)

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