Cabinet Secretary For Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Visit To Machakos University

On 27^th March, 2025, the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Eng. Eric Murithi Mugaa, visited Machakos University as part of projects field visit in Machakos County. The CS was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Performance and Delivery Management, Dr. Eliud Owalo, Machakos County Commissioner, and other senior officials. The delegation was warmly received at the Machakos University Hotel and Conference Center by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Linkages, Prof. Stanley M. Makindi, who was representing the Vice Chancellor Prof. Joyce Agalo.​

Discussions during the visit focused on supporting ongoing University projects, including completion of the Tuition and Office block and University Perimeter wall – phase 2. The Tuition and Office block, a significant infrastructure development for the university, commenced construction on 20^th July, 2017, with a scheduled completion timeline of three years. This project is critical to the university’s infrastructure development, as it will provide lecture halls, administrative offices, conference rooms, laboratories, theatre hall, and other essential facilities for the University’s operation. ​

During the meeting, the team was informed that the University also faces a serious shortage of student accommodation. With a student population exceeding 12,000, the lack of on-campus hostels forces many students to seek accommodation off-campus, leading to security risks due to exposure to external threats, Increased living expenses for students, and potential negative impact on academic performance due to long commuting distances. To address this, the University was seeking funding for construction of student hostels to ensure that all students are accommodated within the campus for their safety and well-being.

Additionally, the team was informed that the University requires a borehole for its land near Machakos People’s Park to provide a sustainable water source. This will support ongoing and future infrastructure projects and agricultural activities while ensuring a reliable water supply for academic, research, and operational needs.

In response, to the issue of construction of Student Hostels, Dr. Owalo informed the University that a tender for Construction of Students hostel has been advertised in the newspapers under the affordable housing programme for commencement.