CUEA celebrates a legacy of faith, knowledge and service

Catholic University of Eastern Africa Vice Chancellor Stephen Mbugua (sixth from left) and the senate ahead of the 43rd graduation, in Nairobi, on October 24, 2024. [Mike Kihaki, Standard]

Universities have been urged to offer moral and ethics lessons to students in order to mold them into productive citizens.

Ambassador of Australia to Kenya Christian Felner, said, cases of suicide and moral decade in the society has broken the society fabric making their education irrelevant.

“Research indicates that wealth and measure do not work well for happiness; rather it is through struggle and commitment that we find deep meaning in our lives. I invite you to face these challenges and to be ready for the responsibilities,” said Dr Felner.

Speaking during the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) 40th anniversary celebration on Thursday, Dr Felner further said effects of digital media on mental health is evident in the young generation which ends up taking them to early grave.

“Easier existence, the void of challenges and choices may strip individuals of their capacity for genuine life satisfaction. Genuine reconnection requires effort and sacrifice. The absence of love leaves despair indicating that the easy life devoid of meaningful relationships is ultimately unfulfilling,” he said

He urged graduates to focus on ethical life which prioritises duty and moral responsibility than pegging on their lives on pleasure and boredom.

“As you graduate, and prepare into adulthood, consider the responsibilities you are going to face not just academically but in relationships, in family life,” stated Dr Felner sentiments echoed by the University’s Vice Chancellor Fr Stephen Mbugua.

“Our promise to society today as we mark our 40th anniversary is that we shall offer relevant, innovative, market driven education to all as we plan to mold and inform our students to be ethical leaders for the church and the society,” said Fr Mbugua.

The institution also celebrated four decades of research, teaching, innovation and community service.

During the celebration, the university unveiled a publication titled “CUEA at 40, a legacy of faith, knowledge and service” putting the history of the institution in a book as a commemoration for the 40 years’ academic journey.

The book captures wall of fame, honours the giants, our founders, our faculty, students, parents and all who have contributed to CUEA success, talents and challenges and those who have served the institution for the last 40 years.

Dr. Gitonga Mureithi, Communication director said the book is a testament to the university's incredible journey over the past four decades.

“As we reflect on our history, we celebrate not only our achievements but also the vision and resilience that has brought us to where we stand today. The CUEA has shipped minds, natured leaders and stood as a beacon of excellence and faith in higher education,” said Dr Mureithi.

It also captures the essence of the revelations, reflections and stories of growth, challenges and triumphs as pillars to the graduands.

“This commemorative book is not just the record of the past, but an inspiration for the future. It reminds us that each page we are going to turn was written with a target and step forward. Each accomplishment strengthens the legacy we build for generations to come,” he added.

The university, which was conceived in Tanzania in the 1960s during a Bishop’s conference has grown in leaps and bounds.

The Catholic Higher Institution of East Africa (CHIEA) was founded in September 1984 by the regional ecclesiastical authority known as the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA). It comprised of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia are the member countries of AMECEA.

On 2 May 1984, CHIEA was authorized by the Congregation for Catholic Education, Vatican City (cf. Prot. N. 821/80/34), to offer two-year Licentiate/MA programmes in Theology. On 3 September of the same year, it was officially inaugurated by Rt Rev. Bishop Madaldo Mazombwe, the then Chairman of AMECEA. On 18 August 1985, it was formally opened by Pope John Paul II. In 1986, the Graduate School of Theology started negotiations with the Commission for Higher Education in Kenya towards the establishment of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). In 1989, the Institute obtained the “Letter of Interim Authority” as the first step towards its establishment as a private university. After three years of intensive negotiations between the Authority of the Graduate School of Theology (CHIEA) and the Commission for Higher Education, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was established. The climax of the negotiations was a granting of the Civil Charter to CHIEA on 3 November 1992. This marked the birth of the university as a private institution.

Vice-Chancellor Fr. Stephen Mbugua highlighted the achievements for the university including student enrolment from a student population of 24 when it began to now a population of over 10,000 with summer semesters having 8,700 students.

. “When Kenya's Episcopal conference in 1980 donated land to a masseh for the Catholic higher institute of Eastern Africa to be built, little did they know that this institute would grow from Theo legate with a student population of 24 into a leading university with a student population of 8,700 today,” said Fr. Mbugua.

Fr. Mbugua said the 40 years has been a milestone as the institution played its role in the tertiary education in the region.

“CuEA journey as a theological institute to a full-fledged university offering quality education that infuses ethical formation in curricular and extra-curricular tenets of our university's academic lives is a great milestone,” he said.

“We celebrate as a custodian of a living dream which we infuse on everyone here because this dream must be passed to the next generation.”

Some of the Dicatrian culture in Education which accredited theological programme in CUEA which has made the university a faculty of theology ecclesiastical.

“We inherited the dream from the giants of church including members of the Vatican II, Pope Paul the sixth, Pope John Paul the Second, Cardinal Maurice Otunga, Emmanuel Sobuga, Rt. Rev Vincent Makori amongst others,” he added. 

He revealed that plans are underway to make the institute of canon law and the department of philosophy ecclesiastical.

“This will make CUEA a fully recognized pontifical university. Other faculties are running and introducing new programmes that are approved by our regulators including the Commission for University Education,” he stated.

Standing on the shoulders of a giant, Catholic university is a giant and we are all standing on its shoulders.

Chancellor Mst Rev Charles Kasonde said the celebration is a time of raving history and remembering the ancestry heritage.

“A university founded and sponsored by a Messiah, at the request of them congregation of evangelisation of people now the decastory of evangelization. Celebrate a great milestone of authoring ethical research, innovation, best quality education and service to church and society,” said Rev Kasonde.

He reiterated that CUEA champions modern methods of research and the use of scientific tools for more relevant and specialization geared towards promotion of ethics themed academic studies in theology, canal law, and the circular academic and professional courses and programmes.

The fact that CUEA was recently recognised among the top 10 universities in Kenya by EduRank is another feat.