Friday, May 20, 2022

On Friday, May 13, 2022, over 907 young people received their Gold Award Certificates, 17 Award Alumni received Life Membership certificates during the President’s Award Kenya ceremony hosted by H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House Nairobi. 26 of these are UoN students.

President Uhuru Kenyatta commended young people who challenge themselves to do good within their communities through hard work and commitment.

Citing the example of Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala who last Saturday entrenched his prowess in the short races by winning in this year’s World Athletics Continental Tour dubbed ‘KipKeino Classic’, the President said the youth have the power and potential to drive the country to new frontiers. President Kenyatta spoke on Friday May 13, 2022 at State House, Nairobi, during this year’s President’s Award-Kenya presentation ceremony. 

A total of 907 awardees, among them 25 young people living with disability, received certificates for their exemplary performance in various fields within their institutions and the community. The University of Nairobi had 26 students who the Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama received the awards from the President on behalf of the students. The Vice Chancellor was accompanied by the Dean of Students, Johnson Ireri Kinyua.

The Head of State, who is also the patron of the President’s Award-Kenya, congratulated the awardees for their exemplary achievement. The President’s Award-Kenya exists to develop and deliver quality experiential activities that impart positive life skills and ethical values to young people for a better society. Established in 1966 by the Founding Father of the Kenyan Nation, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, President's Award-Kenya is a self-development platform for young people to acquire life skills and ethical values for a better society.

President Kenyatta expressed the need to scale up the organization’s capacity in harnessing the ingenuity of the youth and unlocking their full potential. Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha extolled the benefits of the President's Award programme, saying that there is need to massify the program to benefit more students.

Other speakers included the immediate former Dean of Students University of Nairobi and current President’s Award-Kenya Board Chairman Fr. Dr. Dominic Wamugunda and Executive Director Nellie Munala.