Professionals and scholars from Butula constituency Busia county have come together to push for the establishment of a public university in the area.
Butula MP Joseph Oyula (center) canvasing with some members of the professional caucus at professional centre Nairobi
They have called on government to facilitate and fast track the process which they say will improve levels of education in the area.
In a consultative meeting held in Nairobi, they resolved to push for the elevation of the Benga educational centre a constituent college of Masinde Muliro university in the area to a full fledged university.
Led by the area member of parliament Joseph Oyula and former Busia deputy governor Kizito Wangalwa, the professionals vowed to mobilize funds to be used in the improvement of infrastructure at Benga thus changing its image and status.
Addressing the press after the meeting, the Butula Member of parliament said the team was committed on development of Benga University and other institutions of higher learning across the constituency.
He noted that enrolment at the Benga education centre had gone up in the last three years and thus qualifying the institution for upgrade to a full fledged university.
Butula MP Joseph Oyula (center) canvasing with some members of the professional caucus at professional centre Nairobi
“Today’s meeting has opened up our minds and thinking as professionals and we are fully committed to ensure we have a public university at Benga. People of Butula expect us to deliver this institution and we will knock any door that will make this a reality” Said the Butula MP.
He added, “ we have been supporting those in the institution with bursaries and we are going to improve on the same to increase the uptake,”.
Oyula pledged to support the institution through his constituency kitty calling on parents in his constituency and beyond to enroll more children at the centre.
Former Busia deputy governor Kizito Wangalwa said the establishment of the university will be a game changer towards improvement of both economic and intellectual well-being of the community.
Wangalwa said there was need to speed up the process of establishment and development of the university to enable locals access education at low cost by easily commuting from home.
“This is a great idea from great minds from Busia, we want to see this effected very soon so that our sons and daughters can have access to higher learning institutions without burdening their parents with much costs, and this we will achieve.
His sentiments were shared by lawyer Simon Namada who said “ Our target is to have an institution of higher learning that is basically driven and modeled to serve the people of Busia and beyond, an institution where our young people can access education with little hustle by either walking or riding bicycle for lectures,”.
Dr. Mercia Sirera called on all other stakeholders to join the professionals in the quest to improve living standards and economic well-being of Busia.
A taskforce committee led by Professor Christine Mango is tasked to spearhead the process of lobbying the government to actualize the plan.
