WAINAINA, John Mukanu

An inaugural lecture is a pivotal moment within academic circles, marking the culmination of a distinguished academic career with the appointment to the esteemed professor position. It serves as an opportunity to introduce the professor to both academic and non-academic communities, fostering dialogue and collaboration among diverse audiences.

Professor Migai Akech's inaugural lecture titled "Taming the Tyranny of the Barons: Administrative Law and the Regulation of Power" delved into a fundamental concern that has animated him since childhood: the routine and aggravating displays of power abuses that permeate our daily lives, both in private and public realms. From arbitrariness and condescension to corruption and violence, these manifestations of tyranny erode the very liberties and livelihoods we seek to protect through our societal institutions.

Professor Migai Akech's distinguished career includes teaching and research at the University of Nairobi, contributions to international organizations, and seminal publications on Administrative Law's role in restraining government power in Africa. His expertise extends across various domains, from international trade law to governance and policy development, embodying a commitment to advancing legal scholarship and democratic governance.

Reflecting on the significance of this occasion, Professor Stephen Kiama, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, stated: "Today marks a significant milestone as we come together to honor and celebrate the remarkable achievement of one of our faculty members. Prof Aketch has shown his zeal for academic excellence. The inaugural lecture presents a unique opportunity for Professor Aketch to showcase his profound knowledge in law, share his groundbreaking research, and impart enlightening insights to the public."

Professor Leonidah Kerubo, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs, highlighted the broader impact of inaugural lectures within the academic realm, stating: "An inaugural lecture holds a special significance within the academic realm. It marks the acknowledgment of the appointment or promotion of a distinguished member of academic staff through the ranks to the esteemed position of professor. It is a momentous occasion serving as a platform to introduce the professor to both the academic and non-academic communities of our university and the society at large."

During the lecture, Professor Akech addressed the central question of how to safeguard our right to self-rule and prevent the abuse of power, even within systems designed to uphold our freedoms. He argued that those wielding power over others have a democratic obligation to involve those affected by their decisions in the governance process and to be accountable for their actions.

Professor Akech challenged the conventional view that tyranny is primarily a governance issue at the state level, emphasizing how the microcosms of power within smaller governance units—what he terms "bureaucratic barons"—significantly contribute to systemic tyranny. These smaller units, often controlled by bureaucrats, operate with autocratic cultures that undermine democratic principles.

This inaugural lecture by Professor Migai Akech also served as a challenge to professors at the University of Nairobi Professor Kiama put it, “I would like to extend a daring challenge to all recently promoted professors to follow suit and share their scientific discoveries insights, and research findings with the wider academic community. Let us take inspiration from him and show our commitment to academic excellence.”

Drawing from over twenty-five years of research, Professor Akech proposed Administrative Law as a critical tool for democratizing the exercise of power. By ensuring accountability and participatory governance, Administrative Law aims to constrain autocratic tendencies within public and private bureaucracies.

Watch the Lecture here

VC Speech 

Booklet by Prof. Migai Akech

 

Content creators have been urged to uphold ethical standards to positively impact the society and earn a living from the rapidly growing creative economy.

More than 500 digital influencers who converged at the University of Nairobi for the annual International Creator Day celebrations heard that the creative industry has a huge potential to transform lives through employment and wealth creation opportunities for the youth.

Speakers at the event noted the country is well positioned to benefit from the global creative economy due to her young population demographic, increase in internet penetration and access to smart devices.

Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. John Orindi, noted that, ‘The digital landscape has opened up a world of possibilities that transcends boundaries, offering our creative minds the chance to not only earn a sustainable income but also to foster entrepreneurship and drive business growth. It is our belief that the youth, both within and outside the university, are uniquely positioned to harness these opportunities and propel our nation towards becoming a global beacon for content monetization.

Meta Public Policy and Advocacy Manager, Grace Muyonga, said only creators who adhere to the company’s community standards policy would benefit from the expansion of the company’s monetization programme set to begin in June. Meta, which recently announced its monetization programme for Kenya and other five African countries, owns Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram social media polatforms.

Muyonga disclosed the firm will introduce in-stream ads feature on Facebook as part of the monetization programme and warned that creators who fail to abide by its content policy would be blocked from the platform.

“Our community standards policy is very clear on content. Those who post sexually explicit, or content that border on violence and hate-speech, or manipulate the system by creating fake pages will have their content pulled down and blocked from benefiting from the monetization programme,” she said.

Safaricom’s head of consumer segments, Ms. Flavia Othim, observed that influencers occupy an enviable space in the society as they have the freedom to impact by telling stories that engage, inspire, entertain, and educate. 

Flavia said the telecoms firm through its platform, Safaricom Hooks, will nurture and support the aspirations of the youth and transform their lives through technology, career and cultural development opportunities.

The International Creator Day is global initiative established to celebrate the significant contribution that digital content creators have made to the lives of people around the world. It acknowledges the entrepreneurship of career creators and their ability to inspire, entertain, and educate communities worldwide.

The International Creator Day Kenya Coordinator and the Kenya Social Media Awards (SOMA) Director, Mr. Martin Muli, called on the Government to create an enabling environment for creators to thrive and contribute to the development of the economy.

Muli warned against policies that would restrict full exploitation of creative talent and skills, saying such a move would be detrimental to the growth of the creative economy.

“Instead of talking about banning certain social media platforms because of the content we need to have a conversation on how we can support young talent so that we have a vibrant industry that will propel this country to greater heights of development,” said Muli.

He disclosed that SOMA will work with other industry enablers to support content creators through skills development and mentorship across all universities.

Kenya’s digital content creator economy has grown significantly over the past few years with creators monetizing and sharing their work with larger audiences.

Memes, videos, vlogs, livestreams, blogs, courses, photos, comics, games, infographics and apps are examples of content that have become popular as content making continue to become a sought-after profession in the country.

The creator economy has mushroomed and is expected to grow even more in the coming years, according to a study published by Goldman Sachs in 2023.

The research shows the 50 million global creators will grow at a 10-20% compound annual growth rate during the next five years. Only about 4% of global creators are deemed professionals, meaning they pull in more than US$100,000 a year

Creators earn income primarily through direct branding deals to pitch products as an influencer; via a share of advertising revenues with the host platform; and through subscriptions, donations and other forms of direct payment from followers. Brand deals are the main source of revenue at about 70%, according to survey data.

 

Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa) in support of the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) is launching a call for applications for staff mobility grants to build research capacity in the fields of engineering and technology to accelerate and support the inclusive digital transformation of Africa. This initiative is aligned to the Afretec goal to drive inclusive digital growth on the African continent. The mobility grants will support researchers carrying out transformative and high impact research related to digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, information and communication technology, cyber security and so on.

The goal of this program is to build research capacity on the African continent through the creation of multi- university research teams who collaborate to advance the digital transformation of the continent. This will be partly achieved through supporting faculty mobility and joint research activities by early career and senior researchers across the AFTRETEC network. Digital technologies include artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, cyber-physical systems, cyber security, and information and communication technologies that advance the AU Digital Transformation Strategy as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa. The UN SDGs touch on every aspect of society. Therefore, applicants should be carrying out research that embed the use of digital technologies to problems in a broad range of application areas, including agriculture, education, energy, environment, financial Inclusion, health, infrastructure, manufacturing, sustainability, transportation, waste management, water systems, and more. Proposed projects can include both innovative development of digital technologies and application of digital technologies in the African context.

Dates and Details
Start Date: September 1, 2024

Award Period: Up to 3 months
Estimated Awards: It is expected that a total of 6 grants will be awarded depending on the quality of submissions and availability of funds.

Submission Deadline: May 17, 2024 at 17:00 Central African Time

Submission Procedure: Proposals are to be submitted via the application portal found here: https://cmu.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1936792

Access the detailed call HERE

Building on past successes in Ethiopia, the Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) program in Kenya recently convened researchers, mentors, and One Health practitioners for a five-day intensive sandpit event at the Jacaranda Hotel from April 16th to 19th, 2024. The "sandpit" event aimed to equip researchers with the expertise and tools needed to develop impactful One Health proposals to address pressing health concerns.

The University of Nairobi leads the COHESA project in Kenya, spearheaded by Prof. Salome Bukachi and Dr. Joshua Onono as co-lead. The initiative brings together multidisciplinary teams from various UON departments and research institutes. It collaborates with the International Livestock Research Institute, CIRAD, and ISAA to build a strong research and innovation ecosystem. This ecosystem aims to facilitate the rapid uptake and adoption of solutions for One Health (OH) issues. The program seeks to integrate the One Health concept throughout Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), promoting the use of a systems approach to achieve the health of humans, animals, and environments.

"This collaborative environment allows participants to develop research proposals focused on addressing specific health gaps and overcoming existing challenges in Kenya's One Health landscape," said Prof. Bukachi.

The program began with introductions and an overview of COHESA. Prof. Eric Fevre, a joint appointee and professor of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, shared lessons learned from the Horn of Africa.

"One Health is a holistic approach needed to face the major challenges of our time. COHESA seeks to empower countries to confront these challenges," said Prof. Fevre.

Subsequent sessions delved deeper into One Health concepts. Dr. Kristina Roesel provided insightful presentations on the core principles of One Health research, existing gaps in the field, and the concerning rise of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across human, animal, and environmental spheres. One Health is a holistic approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It recognizes the interconnectedness of human health, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment.

Prof. Omu Anzala, a virologist from the KAVI Institute of Clinical Research at UoN, shared practical One Health solutions for infectious diseases. Additionally, Prof. Lilian Omutoko provided crucial insights on navigating the ethical considerations of One Health research within the Kenyan context. The importance of collaboration beyond academia was emphasized.

The core of the event focused on empowering participants to translate theory into practical solutions. Dr. Lilian Waiboci, a biochemist, senior lecturer at UoN, and chair of the Women in One Health network, and Prof. Catherine Kunyanga, Associate dean and professor of the Faculty of Agriculture, led sessions dedicated to proposal development. These sessions equipped researchers with the skills to craft compelling funding proposals. Interactive group work sessions allowed participants to refine their research questions, methodologies, and budgets, receiving valuable peer feedback throughout the process.

The week-long intensive training culminated in proposal pitching, where six teams showcased their innovative solutions to a funding panel. Proposals ranged from point-of-care tests for tick-borne diseases to digital biosecurity plans for poultry farmers, highlighting various strategies to combat pressing health challenges.

Team "TICK-BORNE RICKETTSIA" emerged victorious with their point-of-care test, a game-changer for diagnosing this tick-borne disease in Kenyan pastoral communities. Team One presented a similar concept, a point-of-care test for tick-borne illnesses, underscoring the critical need for rapid diagnostics in this area. Meanwhile, Team Biosmart championed empowering poultry farmers in Kajiado County with a digital biosecurity plan to combat Anti-Microbial use (AMU) and Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR) and broiler mortality. Their solution incorporated demonstration farms and peer learning for wider impact.

Researchers from Masinde Muliro University brought a two-pronged attack on AMR. Team three proposed integrating Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) protocols into cattle farm management, while Team Four focused on empowering responsible antibiotic use in poultry farms through a farm-level stewardship program. Team Five, Poison Breakers, offered a unique solution – a "climate-smart oven" that sterilizes manure, aiming to break the cycle of AMR transmission from farms to food. Team Six offered a more direct approach, proposing a phage cocktail to combat antibiotic-resistant cholera, showcasing the diverse approaches researchers are taking to tackle One Health challenges in Kenya.

The "sandpit" concept, inspired by the HORN project, proved to be an effective method for stimulating innovation. The success of the Kenya Sandpit Event adds Kenya to the growing list of countries adopting this innovative approach to tackling crucial health challenges.

 

The University of Nairobi recently hosted a significant workshop in partnership with the Thunen Institute, the New Zealand Green House Gas Research Centre, and the UN Sustainable Development Solution Network. The workshop, titled "Food Loss and Waste Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa," convened 35 experts to discuss crucial strategies for combating food loss and waste (FLW) in the region.

During the workshop, it was evident that Food Loss and Waste is a multifaceted issue demanding unified action from all stakeholders to bridge existing data gaps. Addressing Food Loss and Waste not only amplifies food availability nutrition security but also alleviates hunger. Despite current estimation pointing to substantial losses and wastes within fruit and vegetable food groups, the lack of comprehensive data hinders the formulation of effective interventions. Challenges in Sub- Saharan Africa including insufficient cold chain, limited financial resources and disjointed stakeholders networks, further underscores the complexity of this issue.

Our collaborative workshop served as crucial platform for experts to pinpoint pressing concerns necessitating immediate actions. Key action items discussed during the workshop encompass:

•   Measuring and monitoring FLW across all stages of the food supply chain
•  Implementing existing policies for FLW reduction
•  Encouraging all actors in the food chain to report FLW
• Raising awareness and educating the population on FLW issues
• Fostering innovation and initiatives grounded in socio-cultural contexts
• Facilitating skills development and capacity building through strategic financing

Read more

 

The University of Nairobi Alumni Association (UoNAA) officially launched its inaugural 10 KM walk set for the 4^th of May 2024. The walk is one of the many initiatives that UoNAA is using to raise Kshs. 50M to support the over 5000 needy students. The walk aims to move the association from its current Kshs. 2M to Kshs. 50M scholarship funding annually. This is part of the Alumni’s agenda to give back and support their alma matter.

Professor Ayub Mwangi, Dean Faculty of Engineering, while representing the Vice Chancellor further emphasized the need for a collaborative effort by all the stakeholders including sponsors, partners, students, and staff in making this first-of-its-kind initiative by the Alumni Association a big success.

Mr. Isaac Awuondo, Chairman of the Association, called on all the UoN Alumni to give back to their alma mater. He quoted Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi who challenged every alma mater and he went ahead and contributed by   sponsoring 20 students to participate in the walk. He highlighted the efforts of the Alumni Association and mentioned the importance of harnessing the collective efforts of the University’s Alumni.

Mr. Awuondo appreciated all the corporate sponsors that were present during the launch and those who were yet to join the Alumni Walk. 

The launch event was also marked by various commitments whether financial commitment or service commitment by the various partners present who also promised to play their role in making this worthy cause a success as corporate social responsibility is a big driving factor in their various organizations. NCBA bank presented a cheque worth ksh 250,000 with other organizations still being in the process of being onboarded.

The launch event was demonstrated by a walk by all the attendees where the event was happening at the UoN Towers, 4^th floor.

To register to participate, click this link or dial *487*28# and buy a ticket for only Kshs. 2000

 

 

Scholarships and Courses:

• PhD Training Opportunities through the RUFORUM Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) Programme [English][French]. Deadline vary by University
• (New) Apply For The 2024 Learn Africa Postgraduate Scholarship Program For African Women. Deadline April 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm Madrid
• WSU Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Advertisement: Call for Applications. Deadline April 19, 2024 at 17hoo
• IMPRS 5 PhD positions in molecular and chemical ecology and evolution. Deadline April 19, 2024
• IsDB Scholarship Programmes 2024-2025. Deadline April 20, 2024
• 98 PhD fully funded positions in all research fields 2024/2025 at University of Cagliari in Italy. Deadline April 30, 2024 
• NOW OPEN: Australia awards scholarships for 1,000 African students 2024 - with at least 2nd class pass. Deadline April 30, 2024 11:59pm AEST
• Indian Government (ICCR) African scholarships 2024/2025 for undergraduate & postgraduate students. Deadline Varying but generally ends April 30, 2024
• Australia awards scholarships 2025. Deadline April 30, 2024
• (New) UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering 2024 edition. Deadline May 10, 2024 at 12:00 pm Paris Time
• Afox visiting fellowship programme. Deadline May 31, 2024 at 23:59 UK time
• The 2nd round of the IGAD Scholarship Programme for refugees, returnees, and IDPs!. Deadline June 02, 2024 at midnight EAT
• MSc sustainable agriculture and food security. Deadline June 30, 2024
• ILRI Postdoctoral Scientist - ruminant nutrition & enteric methane emissions. Deadline open until it is filled

Jobs and Consultancies: 

• (New) AAU Seeks A Software Developer. Deadline May 10, 2024
• KAVIBE Skilling Mid-Career Communication Professionals in African Universities. Deadline Open
• WFP Job openings. Deadline varies by Position

 

The University of Nairobi hosted a 10-day 51^st UNCTAD P166 regional training. This is the third and the last one in a series of 5 years that the University has hosted this high-level meeting since 2019-2024. The training that saw 26 African countries represented took place on April 8- 18, 2024 

According to UNCTAD eLearning website, The Paragraph 166 programme addresses the challenges that developing and least developed countries face in an increasingly globalized economy through regional and short courses on key issues on the international economic agenda.

This flagship programme focuses on the links between trade, finance, investment, technology and development, and assesses the approaches required to potentially generate gains from trade and investment that would benefit development. 

The P166 training has been instrumental in shaping the transformations experienced in Governments in Africa, ‘This flagship program is not only famous in UN and UNCTAD, but also all over the globe. Due to the success of this program, P166 received special recognition and the mandate of this programe was renewed,’ noted Ms Randa Jamal, UNCTAD representative and course coordinator.

While congratulating the course participants for successfully going through the rigorous application process, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama spoke about the significant contributions that the University has made and continues to make in Africa. He expressed the significance of the training program, ‘Africa also needs professionals that have the capacity to handle both domestic and international economic issues that bedevil this great continent: professionals who can contribute to its development and development policies, understand the role of international trade and finance in a globalised world: professionals who would come up with policies aimed at dealing with key economic issues in the international economic agenda.’

“This course serves as a vital platform for fostering a deeper understanding of the interplay between trade, investment, finance, and development, particularly in the context of the ongoing recovery efforts and responses to multifaceted shocks. Further, this regional course provides an invaluable opportunity for the participants, who are mainly Government officials and policy-makers in their respective capacities, to discuss and share views on topical economic issues at the regional and global levels, as they explore their implications for development strategies at the national level.” Noted Amb. Joseph Masila, Director, Economic Affairs and Commercial Diplomacy as he officially opened the p166 training.

The curriculum is based on UNCTAD competence in development and includes the expertise of the United Nations economic regional commissions and national experts from the programme’s host countries. The programme originates from the Bangkok Plan of Action, adopted during the tenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD X) in 2000. The mandate of the programme has been reaffirmed in the outcomes of every UNCTAD conference since then.

This training has been coordinated and planned by the Department of Economics and the lead point person has been Prof. Tabitha Kiriti Ng’ang’a

Present during the opening ceremony was the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Prof. Jack Odhiambo and Chair, Department of Economics and Development Studies, Dr. Martine Oleche.

 

 

JOURNALISM TOMORROW

By Hope Nabalayo

Tuesday the 9^th of April 2024 was a revolutionary day at the University of Nairobi, as it hosted the BBC World Service team at the Chandaria Hall for Performing Arts. The topic of discussion was on the future of journalism in Africa, with the BBC Director General, Tim Davie, being the key speaker. The event was moderated by celebrated journalist and lead senior presenter at the BBC Focus on Africa, Waihiga Mwaura and emceed by the renowned broadcast journalist and lead senior presenter at the BBC Swahili Dira ya Dunia, Roncliffe Odit. Other BBC staff present were Juliet Njeri, the Senior News Editor at the BBC bureau in Nairobi, Maggie, the floor manager who was more than happy to be at her Alma Mater, Grace, the event organizer and other supporting team members.

After a courtesy call with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama, Tim Davie made his way to the venue being warmly welcomed by a fully packed audience. In attendance were students and lecturers from the department of journalism and mass communication at the University of Nairobi, journalism and media students from other institutions including Daystar University, Multimedia University, Kenya Methodist University, Maasai Mara University, Kenyatta University and Tangaza University among others. The audience also boasted of other industry stakeholders with professionals from accredited media stations like KBC and KTN present. Moreover, the event attracted quite the online audience thanks to UNC TV which live streamed the entire session.

Waihiga Mwaura engaged Tim Davie in a revelatory conversation delving into his life journey and expansive career experience up to where his is as the BBC Director General. Through it all, Tim has always strived to put himself in work environments that enable him to contribute to causes he values. With the BBC, he appreciates that he is part of its pioneering efforts in telling stories, both local and international, and bringing people together for civil dialogue.

When asked about his dressing, having rocked a pair of white sneakers, he lightly compared himself to millionaires in Los Angeles who he saw wearing the same shoes and thought it would be worthy to copy them. He explained that throughout his life he has intentionally copied people he looked up to aiming to learn their success tips and implement them in his own path. He truly believes that as a journalist, it is important to do the same with successful people in the industry, being constantly but healthily dissatisfied while improving areas in one’s career. As per Tim, a great journalist is one who is curious and always ready to learn, they believe in their potential and have the courage to create, and they study what other great journalists do. Even when great, he encourages journalists to remain humble and never be arrogant.

The floor was open for questions from the audience which was boldly initiated by Kairu Karega, a journalism student from the University of Nairobi having recently completed his studies, who asked what everyone in the room was budding to get a response. HOW DO YOU GET INTO THE BBC? Tim was frank in his response stating that it is not the easiest goal to score, but that that does not make it impossible. He emphasized on the importance of building one’s skills as a journalist and going out of your way to build your portfolio. He encouraged the audience to look out for internship opportunities by the BBC in African countries, including Kenya that would roll out in the next few months for students, highlighting the already existing apprenticeship program that runs in London. Working in the BBC is not just about being in front of the camera, as is often assumed in journalism. There are various opportunities which require one’s efforts to research on how best their skillset fits in the media space, which would create a clearer and more achievable end-goal.

As more questions were put forward, Tim addressed the plight of AI (artificial intelligence) looking at both the pros and cons being that on one hand, AI can be used to improve journalism for instance by translating stories to different languages or going through piles of recorded research work. On the other hand, it can also be detrimental to journalistic values especially when it comes to misinformation and inaccuracy in news. To add to that, Tim gave his insight on the emergence of social media and which he agrees is a great turning point in the traditional media space, hence the constant move towards digital journalism by the BBC. He acknowledges the contribution and importance of citizen journalism to the media space as they serve as ground sources to breaking stories. He did however mention that the implementation of the BBC Verify has played a big role in mitigating the inaccuracies that may arise from not only citizen journalism, but also any other sources.

To Tim Davie, the future of journalism looks promising despite the possible threats facing the industry. He has a strong conviction that people would always turn back to stories they trust, told by authentic storytellers.

This segued into a more intimate session with Waihaga Mwaura and Roncliffe Odit where the audience had a one-on-one interaction with them. The two shared their own personal journeys into the BBC which were quite remarkable. This sparked a flow of questions ranging from online branding as a journalist, employability of journalists who have gone through journalism training in school, and the optimization of resumes for job applications and career options in the journalism space, just to mention a few. Both Waihiga and Roncliffe concurred that despite doing things you don’t want to do sometimes, life has a way of placing you at the right place at the right time, to do exactly what you have always desired to do.  Bottom line is, when an opportunity comes knocking at your door, grab it and run with it!

The event gracefully came to a close with a vote of thanks in English and Swahili by Mahak Dagar and Cleophas Owuor respectively.

watch the conversation here 

UoN students from ten (10) faculties formed teams and participated in a highly contested activity dubbed, ‘Faculty Mega Hackathon’ where the participating teams consisted of a maximum of five (5) students. They each came up with brave ideas to solve challenges facing societies and organizations. The Thirty-two (32) teams won out of the sixty-nine (69) teams that were participating. The teams are set to battle it out at the 9^th Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW) themed ‘Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem through Government-Industry-Academia-Community Linkages for Sustainable Development’. The top five (5) winning teams included: Move na Songa, Climate Guard, Letra Wind, BM Tech and Simbi.ai respectively.

The three-day event dived into various discussions and activities including Business model canvas workshop and Mentorship, Design thinking Workshop, pitching workshop at the faculty level, pitch deck presentations, main pitching session, and forming teams at the faculty level.

Speaking while giving his opening remarks, the vice chancellor, University of Nairobi, Prof. Stephen Kiama noted “Innovation and Commercialization is one of our major pillars as a University. We are launching this hackathon as a build-up towards Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW) 2024 that will be happening in May 8^th to 10^th 2024. This year, the Innovation Week will focus on commercialization of all our innovations”.

 In addition, Prof. Kiama reiterated that “Kenya's funds from service provision and sale of raw materials are spent on importing goods and services. A very dangerous state. Innovation and commercialization add value to help students innovate and succeed in life”. He encouraged and called upon all the students from the ten (10) faculties to turn out in large numbers and participate in the activity since it was the first ever to be organized by the University.

“For the past eight (8) years, the University of Nairobi has organized Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW) with the sole purpose of assisting staff & students in showcasing the knowledge they acquire and assisting them in solving challenges and disseminating that knowledge all over the nation We are delighted to register a huge turnout for our first-ever faculty-wide hackathon! 179 teams of about five hundred (500) students answered the call. I can't wait to see the innovative ideas they are going to develop!”. Prof. Mary Kinoti, Director Intellectual, Property Management Office noted while giving her address during the opening ceremony of the faculty-based hackathons.

 She highlighted that Hackathons break barriers between Faculty members and students. This fosters innovation, communication and collaboration as we all want to succeed. She noted that her department organized training for about fifty (50) plus students and staff from all the faculties and these included trainers of trainers(tots), coaches, judges and mentors earlier in February 2024 at Wangari Maathai Institute. Prof. Mary Kinoti was amongst the trainees leading the entire team that was selected from the various Faculties.

Faculty of Science and Technology registered the highest number of thirty-seven (37) teams and was ranked top among the ten (10) faculties followed by the faculty of Agriculture, Business Management Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Built-Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Faculty of Law.

Mr. Innocent Magothe-CEO, Startinev indicated that the 32 teams will take on the challenges at the 9^th Nairobi Innovation Week (NIW) in May and only the top ten (10) will be selected and awarded one million shillings (ksh 1000000) to be shared equally. All the participating teams walked home with five thousand shillings (Ksh 5000) and will also be issued with Certificates of Participation at the faculty level.

The panelists were; Prof.Mary Kinoti, Director, IPMO-University of Nairobi, Innocent Magothe (CEO, Startinev), Benaiah Wepundi (CEO, PAYD) and Dean Gichukie (CEO-Quikk API) moderated by Charity Mbithe, Corporate Mcee.Their insightful and engaging discussion focused on ‘From Campus to Company-Inspriring Stories of Startup pioneers’.

Read more about Nairobi Innovation Week 2024