President William Ruto has formally elevated Kamagambo Adventist Teachers’ College into an autonomous private university after awarding the institution a Letter of Interim Authority on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
The move marks a significant transition for the long-standing institution, which operates under the auspices of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
What Ruto’s letter means for Kamagambo
The Letter of Interim Authority allows Kamagambo to operate as a university under its new status, marking a new phase in the institution’s development.
The institution, previously known as Kamagambo Adventist Teachers’ College, has operated for years as a teacher-training institution.
With the authority, Kamagambo now joins Kenya’s growing list of private university institutions, while remaining under the management and auspices of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The award therefore represents more than a change in name, giving the institution a formal framework to operate as an autonomous private university.
Ruto links university upgrade to development agenda
The announcement came as Ruto used his Nyanza engagements to outline a wider government development agenda, including infrastructure, energy, roads and employment.
During a media roundtable at Kisumu State Lodge, the President said the government had established a National Infrastructure Fund and secured legislation to support its operations.
“We have not only set up the National Infrastructure Fund, as I committed to the country in my State of the Nation address last year,” Ruto said.
“We’ve passed it into law, and already we have raised close to three billion dollars, or Sh320 billion into that fund,” he added.
Ruto said the fund would prioritise transport, energy and water infrastructure.
He also announced plans to increase Kenya’s electricity generation capacity from the current level, saying the government was targeting 10,000 megawatts within seven years.
“In the energy sector, we have 3,300 megawatts of energy. For a country our size, we are living on the margin,” Ruto said.
“Our plan under the National Infrastructure Fund is to generate 10,000 megawatts, at least in the next seven years,” he added.
Focus on jobs and industrialisation
He said agriculture and agro-processing could create more jobs while Kenya progressively moves towards a service-based economy.
“For us to be able to generate the number of jobs that can absorb these young people, we can do so much with our agro-processing. Our agriculture can absorb so much, but we now progressively must move towards a service economy,” he said.
The President also addressed electricity reliability in Nyanza, saying transmission projects from Lessos through Bomet were being fast-tracked.
He expressed hope that the projects would help stabilise power supply in the region before the end of 2026.
Ruto further cited plans to generate between 2,000MW and 5,000MW in Siaya and said transport infrastructure would remain a priority.
On roads, he said procurement of a contractor for the long-awaited Migori Bridge had been completed.
“The people of Migori should relax. We are going to do the bridge for them, as we do all the other roads,” Ruto said.
The Kamagambo university upgrade therefore came amid a wider presidential development tour focused on education, infrastructure, energy, investment and job creation across Nyanza.
