Leaders differ over teams' report on the location of Baringo university

Moi Teachers College - Baringo. [Courtesy]

Leaders in Baringo continue to read from different scripts regarding the location of the proposed Baringo University.

Two months ago, Moi Teachers College in Baringo Central was proposed as the best choice following a task force report presented to Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi.

Governor Cheboi had appointed an 11-member task force to seek public views on the location and submit the findings within 60 days. The report was, however, presented in September. The governor has now urged all the leaders in the region to support the task force report to allow the county to host its university as proposed by the team.

The report had recommended that Moi Teachers College in Seretunin, Baringo Central be the ideal site to host Baringo University College of Technology (BUCT), but leaders opposed the location insisting that Chemeron in Baringo South was the best place.

"Leaders, please let's support the task force report, it is important we take this matter seriously for the sake of development," Cheboi said.

Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren has differed with the report with views that the university be established at Chemeron.

Kamuren argued that Moi Teachers College was a brainchild of the late President Daniel Moi meant to boost education in the area and should be respected, warning that he will not allow the facility to be turned into a university.

"The teachers' training college will remain to train, the university should be in Chemeron where we have an administration block, research center, lecture rooms, a title deed and it is fully furnished," Kamuren said.

Chemeron which is at Baringo South hosts Egerton University Dryland Research Training Ecotourism Centre. Eldama Ravine MP Musa Sirma stated that he never heard of any public participation of the task force collecting views in his constituency.

Sirma said it was not wise for the county to destroy a teaching college to accommodate learners across the country instead a new one should have been established.

The location of the university has been a tussle since the onset of devolution.