President William Ruto has awarded charters to the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), officially elevating the two institutions into specialised degree-awarding centres in a major push to position Kenya as a regional leader in science, research, technology and innovation.
Speaking during the ceremony at State House Nairobi, President Ruto said the move forms part of Kenya’s long-term strategy to transform into a modern, industrialised and globally competitive economy driven by knowledge, innovation and advanced skills.
The President said no country has achieved prosperity and industrial growth without deliberate investment in science, research, technology and human capital, pointing to countries such as the United States and South Korea whose economic growth was built on strong research institutions and investment in engineering and innovation.
Kenya-AIST is expected to focus on key emerging sectors including artificial intelligence, robotics, digital technologies, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, biotechnology, climate innovation, semiconductor physics and advanced engineering. The institution is being developed in partnership with South Korea, whose rapid transformation from poverty into a leading industrial economy was heavily supported by investment in science and technology.
President Ruto said Kenya must move from being a consumer of global technologies and knowledge to becoming a producer of innovative solutions capable of solving local and global challenges. He noted that artificial intelligence alone is projected to contribute more than 15 trillion dollars to the global economy by 2030, adding that Kenya cannot afford to be left behind in the global technological transition.
The President described Kenya-AIST as a strategic national investment that will help build the talent, innovation and technical expertise required to power Kenya’s industrial future and compete in emerging global industries.
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On healthcare, the President said investing in medical research, vaccine development, disease surveillance and strong health systems is not only a public health priority but also a national development and security strategy.
He praised KEMRI for its internationally recognised work in malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, maternal health and epidemic response, as well as its contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic through diagnostics, genomic sequencing and public health surveillance systems that strengthened Kenya’s national response.
The President also highlighted KEMRI’s role in the development and evaluation of the malaria vaccine currently helping protect children in high-burden regions across Africa.
With the new charter, KEMRI is expected to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to train world-class biomedical scientists, epidemiologists, genomic researchers, public health experts and innovators capable of anticipating, preventing and responding to future disease outbreaks.
President Ruto further announced plans to fully operationalise the national target of allocating at least two percent of Kenya’s GDP towards research and development in order to unlock billions of shillings annually for scientific research, innovation and technological advancement.
He also called for stronger coordination and collaboration among research institutions under the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation to create centres of excellence and produce highly skilled professionals needed to drive Kenya towards first-world economic status.
The charter awards to Kenya-AIST and KEMRI are being viewed as a significant milestone in Kenya’s broader agenda to strengthen research, innovation, healthcare and industrial transformation through science and technology.
