Umma University has taken a major step in its expansion with the opening of the Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sumait Complex, a 10-storey facility worth over Sh1.4 billion ($10.8 million) with capacity of over 10,000 students.

The complex features 81 classrooms, six modern laboratories, a 650-seat examination hall, a 416-seat auditorium, a 400-seat multi-purpose hall, a gymnasium, a student and conference centre and administrative offices, including 10 faculty offices and three boardrooms.

Speaking at the commissioning, President William Ruto said the government is committed to empowering universities to produce a new generation of graduates who are skilled, ethical and innovative, ready to create jobs, drive technology and address the nation’s pressing challenges.

He noted that reforms such as strengthened governance, restructured financing and the Student-Centred Funding Model have helped safeguard university sustainability, restore financial stability, lower fees and expand access to higher education across Kenya.

The president praised the university’s growth from a small theological college in Thika, central Kenya, to a fully-fledged university in Kajiado County south of the capital Nairobi.

“The university has continued to register remarkable progress in infrastructure development, in line with its vision of providing quality higher education and contributing to national development,” he said.

Vice Chancellor Halima Saado Abdillahi said the new complex would allow the university to introduce programmes in health sciences, engineering, and technology, while strengthening existing courses in Islamic studies, business, education, computer science, nursing and social sciences.

University’s Chancellor Abbas Gullet thanked the Direct Aid Society, the founding sponsor, for funding the project, and the ministry of education for supporting the university’s growth over the past 15 years.

According to the Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya now has 64 fully-fledged universities and 15 others at various stages of accreditation, making it one of Africa’s largest higher education systems.

The Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sumait Complex is expected to transform the academic landscape in Kajiado by enhancing Umma University’s reputation as an institution that blends Islamic moral values with modern education.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Rop Janet