There has been growing debate in the education sector after a fresh petition was filed, urging the Ministry of Education to rename the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The petition, addressed to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, was submitted by former senior presidential advisor Moses Kuria, who argued that the renaming would serve as a fitting tribute to Raila’s lifelong dedication to education and engineering.
“I have today written to Education CS Julius Ogamba requesting that the Technical University of Kenya be renamed Raila Odinga Technical University,” Kuria stated in his letter.
According to Kuria, the move would not only celebrate Raila’s contribution to the field of engineering but also preserve his legacy as a visionary leader who valued technical education.
“If I were the CS, I would do it straight away,” added Kuria, emphasizing that Raila had once lectured at the University of Nairobi’s School of Engineering, which later evolved into what is now TUK.
He further reminded Kenyans that TUK was originally part of the University of Nairobi before becoming Kenya Polytechnic, and later transforming into the Technical University of Kenya.
“Engineer Raila Odinga was not just a lecturer; he was a strong believer in technical education since his days in Germany at Madelberg College,” Kuria noted.
The Legal Process Behind the Renaming
For such a name change to take effect, it must follow the Universities Act (No. 42 of 2012), the Technical University of Kenya Charter (2013), and the Constitution of Kenya (2010) — particularly sections dealing with public participation and good governance.
The proposal would first be discussed by TUK’s University Council, followed by consultations with students, staff, alumni, and the public.
The Commission for University Education (CUE) would then review the proposal before forwarding its recommendation to the Education CS and eventually to the President for final approval.
Once approved, the change would be published in the Kenya Gazette and the new name — Raila Odinga Technical University — would officially replace TUK across all official documents and institutional branding.
If successful, the renaming would mark one of the most significant tributes ever made to honour Raila Odinga’s contribution to Kenya’s education and political history.
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