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WELCOME SPEECH BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR  MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY, DURING MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY 1ST ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE HELD ON 17TH -19TH APRIL 2018

 

Theme: Harnessing Scientific Research, Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development

 Salutations

  • The Chief Guest, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, Amb. Amina Mohammed,
  • The Principal Secretary, State Department of Agriculture Research, Prof. Hamadi Boga
  • Chairman, Commission for University Education, Prof. Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha
  • The Chief Executive Officer, Konza Technopolis Development Authority, Eng. John Tanui,
  • Chairman, Machakos University Council, Dr. Charles Moturi Mechah
  • Keynote speakers and Guest speakers
  • Vice-Chancellors and or their representatives from our sister universities present

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  • Officials and Representatives of the County Government of Machakos,

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  • Distinguished participants,
  • Ladies and Gentlemen

 

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to Machakos University and to this 1stInternational Conference. This is a truly unique platform for us to come together and shape the future of sustainable development.  Being the first vice-chancellor of Machakos University, I am honored to be the first vice- chancellor to address this forum, and I am really grateful.

 

Honorable CS, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have entered an era in which every one’s concerns are contributions to the well-being of others, for now and in the future. I have no doubt, that these concerns are the premises on which the theme and sub-themes of this conference are anchored. The domains and parameters of development have become more diverse and are so great in complexity and number that no one direction can be a panacea. Take the example of the environment, and particularly climate change: its impact is so diverse that it could range from a simple family dispute all the way to an international armed conflict. This implies that we need to use what we have while being mindful of others, now and beyond. This is the key driver of our conference theme: “Harnessing Scientific Research, Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development”.

 

Machakos University

Honorable CS, Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I mention briefly that Machakos University was chartered by H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces of Republic of Kenya on 7th October, 2016. Guided by its mandate: Teach, Train, conduct Research, Innovate, Collaborate, generate new knowledge and Community Service, Machakos University offers courses and programmes ranging from Diploma to postgraduate (Masters and PhD) in the field of Engineering & Technology, Education, Humanities & Social Sciences, Hospitality & Tourism Management Business and Economics, Agriculture, Environment &Natural Resource Management and Pure & Applied Sciences. Machakos University boasts of being one of the largest University among the six newly chartered public Universities in Kenya. It is in the pursuance of this mandate that this Conference has been organized.

 

The Conference

Honorable CS, Ladies and Gentlemen,

There is an abundance of academic conferences (be it international, regional or national) today as compared to the past and there is need to justify this abundance. Let me seize this opportunity and talk about the 1st Annual International Conference of Machakos University. As you all may be aware, the conference focuses on sustainable development, in which we seek deliberations on harnessing scientific research, innovation and technology. Against this backdrop, the conference is a forum in which participants will present papers, network for future collaborations, publish, socialize and travel (I have seen you have been invited for a trip to Silicon Savanah- Konza Technopolis City) and find out what’s new. In today’s fast changing world, attending a conference has become a “must” to survive in an academic discipline. Many academicians have become aware of this fact as the number of conferences and participants increase dramatically. We look forward to building synergies and collaborations.

 

Machakos University and Sustainable Development

Honorable CS, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The idea of sustainable development was conceived in early 1970s, when the need was felt to preserve our natural resources as they were depleting at a very faster rate, prior to that development was unsustainable. Brundtland Commission in 1987 made sustainable development a norm as a pattern of social and structured economic transformations that optimizes the economic and societal benefits available in the present, without jeopardizing the likely potential for similar benefits in the future. Today this has become a global agenda and now we talk of Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations, Africa Union 2064 Agenda, Kenya Vision 2030 and the Government of Kenya Big Four Agenda. This implies that we cannot talk of harnessing scientific research, innovation and technology for sustainable development in isolation from the global aspirations and agenda. It is my trust that the presentations and discussions in this conference will embrace such global aspirations.

 

Conclusion and Way forward

Honorable CS; Ladies and Gentlemen,

In my view, there is no better way to ensure our response to the call for sustainable development is truly meaningful than to involve the people we aim to serve. This has the importance that the knowledge we generate, the innovations we come up with and the technology we develop should go towards uplifting the lifestyles of the people we serve. The outcomes of this conference will therefore have no meaning unless they reach the end users or put to practical use. Otherwise, we shall have volumes and volumes of knowledge, some on our shelves, and others on the internet without any consumer. Through our community service and outreach programmes, we can promote knowledge and technology transfer, thereby contributing towards the realization of sustainable development.

 

Closing

Honorable CS, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I conclude, allow me to appreciate the support we have continued to receive from your Ministry. Thank you very much for accepting to grace this occasion. Allow me also to appreciate also our key note speakers, Prof. Boga Hammadi; Prof. Chacha Nyaigoti-Chacha and; Eng. John Tanui, our guest speakers; Prof. Mary Abukutsa; Prof. Simmy Marwa; Prof. Donald Kisilu Kombo; Prof. Mugendi MR’thaa and Prof. Birhanu Dejene, the participants, and all invited guests. May I also thank the Research Innovation and Linkages Division and the conference organizing committee for having worked hard to ensure we have our 1st International Conference.

I wish you all a happy and successful conference.

 

Thank you, and God bless us all

Prof. Lucy Irungu,

Vice-Chancellor

&

Professor of Entomology.