Uganda varsity crowns MKU founder Simon Gicharu with honorary degree

A Kenyan education entrepreneur was on Saturday awarded a honorary degree in science by a Ugandan university for promoting education in the region.

Mr Simon Gicharu, the founder of Mount Kenya University (MKU), was awarded the degree by Gulu University, a public institution in Uganda, during its 10th graduation ceremony.

An elated Gicharu narrated how he made it to the top.

“In my secondary school years, I learnt the importance of saving and investing money, which has been a cornerstone of my success throughout my life.

“I was the manager of the school canteen and using the money I was given by my parents to pay school fees, I would buy bread to sell at the canteen and after paying the school fees, keep the profit,” Mr Gicharu said.

CREATE JOBS

He encouraged graduands to focus on creating jobs instead of looking for one.

“Personally, I sent over 5,000 job applications to various companies. I was so determined that I followed up on these applications in person to find out if they had reached the appropriate offices.

“But no job offer was forthcoming, and in some instances, I received the letters of regret many years after I had left employment,” he said.

Mr Gicharu said he decided to become the master of his own destiny and started a small agency that trained young people on entrepreneurship.

The agency had a capital of Sh20,000 which was a loan from a local building society.

“With this small amount of money, I had planted the seed that would one day grow into MKU,” he said.