PRESIDENT WILLIAM RUTO AWARDED AN HONORARY DEGREE BY BARATON UNIVERSITY

President William Samoei Ruto was on Sunday August 18th, 2024 awarded an honorary degree in leadership and service to humanity by The University of Eastern Africa, Baraton. This was during the institution’s 42nd graduation ceremony held in Nandi County, where a total of 1,267 graduates were conferred with various degrees. 

In an emotional speech, the President accepted the award, noting that it was the first honorary degree he had ever received from any university, despite receiving offers from other institutions before. “I must say that it is the first time ever that I have accepted an honorary degree from any university,’’ he said. 

The President added that the award would serve as a constant reminder of his responsibility to provide great leadership, emphasizing that the country’s leadership should be synonymous with integrity and excellence in service. 

This has elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans, particularly as the Gen Z movement continues to voice its demands for an end to bad governance, claiming that their concerns were yet to be addressed. This included the controversial funding model, which sparked a massive uproar among Citizens.

In his defense, President William Ruto expressed the necessity of the funding model, stating that it favored students more than universities. “We are increasing student scholarships and loans for vulnerable families from 80% to 95%. I am persuaded that it is the right thing to do,” he said. 

Education CS Julius Migosi, who accompanied the President, highlighted that the ministry was focused on improving the education system and making it among the best in the world. “We are implementing various reforms designed to enhance access, equity, and quality across all levels of education, including the university funding model.” 

Earlier in the week, Principal Secretary for Higher Education Beatrice Inyangala announced that the new funding model was categorized into five bands based on the family’s income level. However, some parents disagreed with the model stating that their children had received admission letters with excessively high fees after being placed in the wrong funding bands. 

President Ruto joins other leaders who have received honorary degrees among them former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Honorable Raila Amollo Odinga who were both admitted to the Degree of Doctor of Sciences, Honoris Causa of Jaramogi Oginga University of Science and Technology in December 2018 for bringing peace to the country through the handshake.