South Wales and Kenya build strong links
KENYAN students from universities all over South Wales gathered together for an event hosted by the Kenya High Commissioner on his first visit to Wales.
The meeting, with a theme of benefiting from your time in the UK, was just one part of an important day of visits and meetings for His Excellency Mr Joseph Muchemi, Kenya High Commissioner to the UK and Switzerland, and Permanent Representative to the IMO.
Nasra Bakhshuwein, a first year student on the BSc Dental Technology programme at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) said: “I met him with three other UWIC students from Kenya. He asked what we think of Cardiff, how we are getting on as students and if there are problems. We told him that we love Cardiff, the lecturers are amazing and very supportive and the city the people are very nice.
“It means a lot to me that he has come to visit as he is showing support from our country and we have asked him to come to Wales more often.”
Accompanied by his wife Cecilia Muchemi and Salome Gichura, Education Attaché, he also met with prominent figures from South Wales’ universities, as part of this special day of events organised by Professor George Karani at UWIC.
The whistle-stop tour has been in the pipeline since Prof Karani, a Professor of Environmental Health at UWIC’s School of Health Sciences, first met the High Commissioner in 2004, and has since built up strong relationships and worked collaboratively with Nairobi University.
Prof Karani said: “I am pleased that His Excellency Mr Muchemi, Mrs. Muchemi, and Ms Salome Gichura, Education Attaché, came to visit Wales. This was a great occasion for them to hold meetings with Senior Government Officials, Vice-Chancellors and Kenyan students and families.
“I would like to believe that due to the warm welcome they have been accorded, that His Excellency Mr Muchemi and his team will plan to come back and visit us again. I would like to thank all those people who have worked very hard behind the scenes to plan for this visit."
As well as meeting Kenyan students from UWIC, Cardiff, Swansea, Glamorgan and Bristol Universities, Mr Muchemi held discussions with the Vice-Chancellors of UWIC, Cardiff and the University of Glamorgan, and Heads of International Offices from a number of universities in Wales.
The busy visit also included meetings with the First Minister for Wales Rhodri Morgan AM, and Jane Hutt AM Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.
Front Row (L-R): Mrs. C. Muchemi, HE Mr. J.Muchemi, Rosemary Nchinyei (Cardiff)
Middle Row: Rittah Njeru (Bristol)
Back Row (L-R): Ruth Thuku (UWIC), Sultana Bakhshuwein (Glamorgan), Ahmed Abdullahi ( Swansea)