President Uhuru Kenyatta's military legacy projects are gathering momentum with less than 24 days before he receives the last Commander-in-Chief salute.
The urgency to complete the National Defence University-Kenya at the Kenya Military Academy (KMA) in Lanet on the outskirts of Nakuru City is evident.
The university, which was given a charter by President Kenyatta last year, has taken off with the construction of the administration block which is set to be completed in the next two weeks.
The block comprises lecture halls, a resource centre and the vice chancellor's office.
President Kenyatta is set to open the ultra-modern building on July 30. This is one of President Kenyatta’s military legacy projects.
This will be a record completion of a multi-million State project whose ground-breaking was done in December 2021 before construction work started in January 2022.
Vice-Chancellor of the National Defence University-Kenya Lieutenant-General Jonah Mwangi speaks at this office at the Kenya Military Academy (KMA) Lanet in Nakuru County on July 15, 2022.
Photo credit: Francis Mureithi | Nation Media Group
“The construction work is going on 24/7 to ensure the project meets its timelines," said a construction supervisor at the site.
The Vice–Chancellor of NDU-K Lieutenant-General Jonah Mwangi said the university will partner with other institutions offering security-related studies. He said the last cohort of cadets outside the NDU-K was admitted to Kenyatta University early this month.
"We shall continue to collaborate with public universities like Kenyatta University since there are some (curriculum) areas we are still developing as a new university," said Lt-Gen Mwangi.
Lt-Gen Mwangi said the students who will join the university will not be admitted by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service.
Lieutenant Moses Mwangi Gachara who is also a civil Engineer shows an artistic impression of the proposed National Defence University-Kenya Administration Block at the Kenya Military Academy, Lanet in Nakuru County on July 15, 2022.
Photo credit: Francis Mureithi | Nation Media Group
"NDU-K is the umbrella of five military colleges namely National Defence College, Defence Staff College, Kenya Military Academy, Defence Forces Technical College and International Peace Support Training Center and we will get our students from these colleges," said Lt-Gen Mwangi.
The National Intelligence Research University College is the only constituent college of the university.
The VC said the International Peace Support Training Centre has a programme that is open to both security and civilian personnel.
"This programme is ongoing and already we have 34 students pursuing Masters degrees in Crisis Response and Disaster management," he stated.
The NDU-K was awarded the University Charter in May 2021 by President Kenyatta, making it the first Specialist University in Kenya.
It will offer graduate and post-graduate courses aimed at preparing military and civilian leaders for current and emerging security challenges. The institution will admit both local and international students.
