Mount Kenya University (MKU) has marked significant achievements in sports and the creative arts, underscoring the vital role of co-curricular activities in a holistic education.
Speaking at the university’s 28th Graduation Ceremony yesterday, MKU Vice Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi highlighted the strong, positive correlation between academic excellence and physical co-curricular engagement. He emphasized that these activities improve cognitive functions like concentration and memory, while also fostering discipline and time management skills.
The graduands, he noted, had been intentionally exposed to a variety of co-curricular activities to nurture their talents, creativity, and achieve optimal physical and cognitive development.
The university’s prowess was evident across various fields. MKU emerged as the overall winner at the Kenya University Sports Federation (KUSF) National Athletics Championship in 2025. Furthermore, the MKU tennis team secured the second-best overall position at the Federation of Africa University Sports (FASU) tennis championship hosted at the university.
In music and performing arts, MKU was ranked the best private university overall at the 97th Kenya National Music Festivals. For the second consecutive year, MKU also showcased its performances at the 8th East Africa Music, Dance and Drama (EAMDD) festival in Kampala, Uganda.
Prof. Simon Gicharu, MKU founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors, asserted that co-curricular activities are a key and vital component of university education worldwide. He congratulated students who have excelled, particularly those who have joined the Kenya Defence Force and national sports teams.
Prof. Jaganyi thanked the Board of Directors for their robust support, which included the procurement of a state-of-the-art Scania Marcopolo bus, sporting equipment, creative arts gear, and sports attire for all campuses.
The chief guest, CPA Dr. Aurelia Rono, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Parliamentary Affairs, praised the event as a significant milestone, celebrating the launch of a new, youthful, and learned generation into the service of Kenya.
Dr. Rono especially commended MKU for establishing a truly student-centred leadership framework through the MKU Students Association (MKUSA). She noted that this structure is successfully nurturing the younger generation and said, “With these measures, you are not just moulding leaders; you are simulating responsible, diplomatic, and consultative processes essential for peace and harmony in Kenya.”
The ceremony was held under the theme “From Knowledge to Nation-Building: Advancing Responsible Leadership and Governance through Higher Education Institutions”. The university also demonstrated its commitment to social responsibility by partnering with the Kenya Society for the Blind in September for a charity event and hike at Mount Longonot. A week-long Culture Week celebration culminated in the crowning of Mr. and Miss MKU across all campuses.
