Egerton University was proud to host a high-level policy roundtable on August 20, 2025 during the Kenya National Research Festival.
Government officials, University leaders and Members of Parliament came together to deliberate on a proposed master plan for research funding and capacity strengthening.
The roundtable was opened by Prof. J. K. Sang, Chair of Egerton University Council, who welcomed the delegation led by National Research Fund (NRF) CEO Prof. Dickson Andala. Prof. Sang, who has served as faculty at Moi University for 40 years, expressed confidence that the team present was well placed to steer Kenya’s research agenda.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kibwage called on the government to significantly increase investment in research, noting that food and nutrition security remains a concern yet there is limited focus on locally driven solutions.
He also raised the issue of continued subdivision of fertile land, which undermines large-scale food production, and urged development partners to channel resources through NACOSTI and NRF who are best placed to address local priorities.
Discussions at the meeting highlighted that Kenya currently allocates only about 2% of its GDP to research, a figure that needs to be increased to unlock meaningful progress in science, innovation and technology.
Participants also pointed to weak linkages between universities, research institutions, the media, and parliamentary committees, gaps that hinder effective research dissemination and uptake into policy.
To strengthen this connection, three Members of Parliament from the National Assembly Committee on Education joined the meeting: Hon. Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba), Hon. Prof. Phylis Bartoo (Moiben) and Hon. Dick Oyugi (Luanda).
Their presence reflected the effort to close the gaps between academia and policymakers.
Also present were Nakuru County CEC for Agriculture Leonard Bor, Acting Director General of NACOSTI Dr. David Ngigi, Prof. Julius K. Maiyo (DVC, Planning, Partnerships, Research & Innovation, Kibabii University) and Prof. Nzula Kitaka, Egerton’s Director of Marketing and Resource Mobilization.
Prof. Kitaka, a prolific researcher, emphasized the urgency of increasing research and development investment to secure Kenya’s future.
The roundtable was a highlight of the Kenya National Research Festival 2025, held at Egerton University under the theme “Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.”
It laid the groundwork for a coordinated national approach to research investment, with consensus that stronger partnerships and better funding will be critical in building Kenya’s research capacity.
Report by Agnes Mwangi
