Seek solution to problems, student innovators told

By Jennifer Kamura

University students have been urged to focus on innovations that seek to address challenges facing Kenyans to boost growth.

Speaking during a forum for students to showcase their creative works at the Technical University of Kenya's Main Hall on March 6, Mr Fredrick Odhiambo, a software engineer with Intel Kenya, cautioned that “innovations should be unique and reasonable and should focus on solving problems".

"Intel Kenya finances ideas and innovations hence students should step forward and stop whining over lack of capital," he said.

The event organised by Students Association of Technical University (Satuk) created a platform through which students could present their innovations to the invited guests, who included Kenyatta University's Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (CBIIC) director George Kosimbei.

“I have been overwhelmed by the level of creativity in TUK students. Some of the innovations I have seen here if well supported can provide solutions to the existing, thorny problems in our society, for example environmental conservation," Dr Kosimbei said.

He said CBIIC was established in 2011 as the first public incubation centre in Kenya. 

The centre, which is situated at the Kenyatta University, serves 70 per cent of KU students while the rest come from other higher learning institutions.

He urged students to contact the incubation centre for assistance but pointed out that that the innovations should be consistent with the problems in the society.

Dr Susan Musembi of Chandaria BIIC said students seeking help at the incubation centre are usually screened through various stages before they are selected, with the major emphasis being sustainable innovation.

Ms Kanze Dena, who was the event moderator and is also a presenter at Citizen TV, noted that innovation is not just about machines and technical appliances but also doing things differently from others.

Some of the creative works at the forum were fluid level controller from engineering department, explore Kenya (mobile app) by ICT club, interior design lamp shades by Eugine Ochieng (urban design student), natural green soap handwash, video editing and journalistic photography by Kennedy Korir of the Journalism and Media Studies department.

At the same time, Prof David Ogolla, the director of technical and vocational training who represented Vice Chancellor Francis Aduol, said the government was planning to increase technical universities in Kenya to 10.