President William Ruto has awarded Kamagambo University a Letter of Interim Authority, formally admitting the institution into Kenya’s higher education system as it works towards obtaining a full university charter. Ruto issued the authority on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, during a ceremony at Kisumu State Lodge as part of his development tour of the Nyanza region. The interim authority allows the institution to establish its governing organs, develop academic resources and operate within its approved mandate as it works towards meeting the requirements for a full charter. Ruto urged the university’s management and trustees to maintain high standards of academic integrity, governance, quality and stewardship as the institution develops.

Kamagambo University has been cleared to begin preparations for student admissions to three initial degree programmes, subject to approval by the Commission for University Education (CUE). The programmes are: Bachelor of Education in Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Theology with Entrepreneurship, Bachelor of Business Administration with Entrepreneurship. The programmes give the institution an initial academic offering as it builds its teaching, administrative and governance capacity. The university is expected to operate within the regulatory requirements set by CUE as it progresses towards full university status.

The development marks a transition for Kamagambo Adventist Teachers’ College, which has operated under the auspices of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The institution’s transition into an autonomous private university expands the higher education options available to students in the region and nationally. Ruto said universities have an important role in developing skills, supporting research and producing professionals needed in the country’s economy. He also called on Kamagambo University to focus on academic quality and research as it establishes itself within Kenya’s higher education sector.

The Letter of Interim Authority is an important regulatory step, but it does not amount to a full university charter. The institution must continue developing its academic, governance and administrative structures while meeting the requirements necessary for full university status. Ruto himself emphasised the significance of the word “interim”, noting that the institution had entered the higher education system but still had to work towards obtaining a full charter. For prospective students, the immediate significance is that Kamagambo University now has an authorised pathway to begin university operations and develop its initial programmes, subject to the applicable CUE approvals. The award therefore marks the beginning of a new phase for the institution, with its next priority being to build the academic and administrative capacity required to operate as a fully chartered university.