Last Friday, August 22nd, 2025, marked a historic milestone as Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) celebrated its very first Founders Day. It was a day to pause, reflect, and honour the visionary men and women who laid the foundation for our great university and nurtured the dream that has brought us to where we are today.
A Vision Rooted in Methodist Values
Methodist education has always aimed for holistic development – combining academic excellence with strong moral values, discipline, and a heart for service to others. The Methodist Church envisioned establishing a university that would bring these transformative principles to our society, and that vision became the seed from which KeMU grew.
From Dream to Reality: Our Journey
Our story began with an idea first proposed in 1986 at the Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) Conference held at Shanzu Teachers College, Mombasa. What followed was a remarkable journey of faith and determination:
- 1991: The establishment of our Trust Deed
- 1997: The allocation of our Letter of Interim Authority, which allowed us to welcome our first cohort of students
- 2006: The proud moment when we received our Charter
Since then, KeMU’s growth has been nothing short of extraordinary. We have expanded across the country with multiple campuses, our student population has flourished, and we continue to attract valuable partnerships both nationally and internationally.
Celebrating Our Founders
Friday’s inaugural Founders Day was organized not only to celebrate these remarkable milestones but also to recognize and appreciate the dedicated individuals who sacrificed their knowledge, time, effort, and resources to see our university take flight.
We were honoured to have Rev. Prof. Zablon Nthamburi, PhD – our first Chancellor – as our Chief Guest. The day was further enriched by heartfelt speeches from:
- Rev. Dr. Lawi Imathiu, our Founding Chair
- Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, chair of our Board of Trustees (and Chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission of Kenya)
- Rev. Dr. Catherine Mutua, Chair of University Council
Looking Forward with Gratitude
As we celebrated our past, we also looked toward the future with renewed purpose. We will forever be grateful to our founders and all those who believed in the KeMU vision. May God continue to bless them and shine His face upon them as we advance their cause and carry their legacy forward.
Our first Founders Day was more than an event – it was a celebration of faith, vision, and the transformative power of education rooted in strong values. Here’s to honouring our past while boldly stepping into our future!
