Some time before the 2017 general elections,there were popular calls Wananchi of Central Imenti constituency for the establishment of a public university in the sub-county. The proponents of that project argued the larger Imenti region,consisting of three constituencies, lacked such an institution to serve them. that their support for Jubilee administration was rock-solid and immeasurable and as such the area ought to be 'Rewarded'
This 'Reward for votes' is a popular culture practiced countrywide since Kenya gained independence. In my opinion this practice is not only unfair but backward too for it is one of the major causes of marginalization in a many parts of the the republic. Every citizen deserves services by reigning government, regardless of Who or What party they supported the previous or future administrations. Unfair distribution of resources with voting patterns being the Primary factor has created a UNEQUAL Society. After all Kenya Revenue Authority does not discriminate in its mandate of tax collection. There isn't 'let's tax those who voted for Us' No, every Kenyan is directly or indirectly taxed across the county.
But that besides my point. My contention is the logic behind having a public university in Imenti, to serve those residents,whereas the large Meru region (Thuuci to Ntonyiri) already has TWO chartered public universities. Chuka University and Meru University of Science and Technology in Meru and Thakara-Nithi counties respectively. The two institutions of higher learning, especially the latter are very under-utilized. Mind you there are tertiary institutions including Meru National Polytechnic, Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) and campuses of other universities situated in various towns in the region with a collective population of over 10,000 students.
We cannot and should not erect buildings in underutilized public parcels of land in the name of a university or any other utility for the sole reason of spurring 'development' in that place. As a matter of principle and procedure lets evaluate the Necessity, Usability, Priority, Proximity to a similar institution, Capacity of growth and full maximum utilization, cost of establishment and running expenses and other factors.
It's the craze and obsession of having degrees during Mwai Kibaki;s tenure that led to mushrooming of substandard institutions of higher learning all over the republic. Churning out half baked graduates who sew scalpels inside a patient's body!
It would be prudent to equip and fund better the existing institutions
rather than start new ones just to be even with other citizens.