October 16, 2018 www.mygov.go.ke NEWSFOCUS | 27 demia. “I knew I wanted to rise up to the highest level and I worked towards it.” She prepared herself to be the ideal candidate for the position of vice chancellor by doing a Master’s in Business Administration at the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) while she was the DVC AA. “My MBA gave me invaluable skills in management which have been useful in my position as vice chancellor,” she says. Imbuga became the third Kenyan woman to hold the position of vice chancellor of a public university, an accomplishment she is proud of. Since joining JKUAT, Imbuga has been instrumental in growing the university. She introduced parallel programmes beginning with the Faculty of Science during her tenure as dean, a venture that has reduced reliance on government funding. As at mid 2013, parallel programs formed 70 per cent of JKUAT’s revenue, she says. The institution has also initiated other sources of generating income such as “involving staff in consultancies.” Under her leadership, JKUAT has concentrated on becoming a university of global standards through research and entrepreneurship. “For us to achieve that vision we need to have enough technology and technological know-how. We are building capacity in the areas of engineering, science and technology, research and innovation.” The university has also introduced programmes aligned to Kenya’s development agenda. These include degrees in mining and mineral processing engineering, marine engineering and petroleum engineering, as well as programmes that encourage technology in agriculture. JKUAT has also developed a botanical garden on its Juja campus, where rare plants are grown. Laboratories attached to the garden aid in bioscience research. In conjunction with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, JKUAT has also developed the Nairobi Industrial and Technology Park, which nurtures research and innovation through incubation and training, to support start-up SME factories. In 2016, JKUAT and a Japanese company Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd under a public private partnership broke ground to build a factory that WORDS OF WISDOM Panda Miti, Penda Kenya Through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Government has launched a million indigenous tree planting drive in the County. The Government plans to increase the forest cover in the country to 10 per cent before 2022. Tunakuhimiza upande Mti mmoja leo • Cultivate what is inborn, while learning new skills along the way • Never give up hope of achieving your dreams • Enjoy each step to success and give yourself credit for every achievement. It will give you the will and drive to tackle the next step • Maintain integrity in all you do • Get as well as give support to family and friends, because you shouldn’t be in a position where you always receive support but don’t reciprocate • Women need to support each other to succeed. Avoid being the one who make the other females fall will produce Nissin Noodles domesticated to the Kenyan market. The noodles will be exported within the African region beginning with neighbouring countries. “This will be a good business venture for both JKUAT and the country at large because of the use of Kenyan produce as the raw products and the factory will be run by Kenyans,” Imbuga says. As a woman trying to succeed in a male dominated field, Imbuga says that, “you have to fight your way up and you also have to fight to get what is owed to you.” It is therefore not surprising that above all her accomplishments, Imbuga’s most important mission to date has been as a gender advocate for women in the sciences. It is her experiences to the top in a male dominated field that led her and a group of other accomplished women in the sciences to form African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE). The organisation’s core functions are to encourage, empower and mentor He would babysit our children after school while I was at the lab in Chiromo and would wait for me to come home before he left to see his friends. It was that support that helped me prosper and lightened my load both at home and at work. young ladies, so that they can undertake science and engineering courses. AWSE arranges exchange programmes, workshops and mentorships through which women pursuing sciences can get training and exposure. Gender advocacy has also been a priority in her role as VC. “We are working hard to ensure that females form at least 30 per cent of our staff and student numbers.” By mid-2013, female student admissions had gone up by 17 per cent, but Imbuga felt the university has room to improve particularly in some programmes such as engineering, architecture and building sciences. “In an area like basic sciences especially physics, there is still a very low number of female students and there is also only one female member of staff who teaches these units.” She describes her leadership style as that of a servant leader. “I like bringing people up, increasing their knowledge and bettering them. I believe in leaving a person better than you found them.” She is driven by the urge to see herself as well as those around her reach their full potential. “Until you reach a point of self actualisation, you can never really be satisfied with yourself,” she says. On maintaining work life balance Imbuga says, “you really need your family’s support to achieve your goals at work.” Manufacturing The Government has opened up local production by creating an enabling environment for private sector-led industrial development and a business climate capable of attracting local and foreign investments.
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