Mount Kigali University Vice-Chancellor Dr Martin Kimemia has congratulated Prof Egara Kabaji on his appointment as the university’s Chancellor.
Said Dr Kimemia: “I congratulate Prof Kabaji, and welcome him to our esteemed university. We look forward to working closely with him to take Mount Kigali University to even greater heights.”
The university’s board announced the appointment during the weekend. This marks a new phase of development for the university, which has evolved from a cross-border campus of Mount Kenya University into a fully fledged, autonomous higher education institution.
While making the news public, Mount Kigali University founder and board chairman Prof Simon Gicharu explained why they settled on Prof Kabaji.
“His scholarly work, administrative experience, and dedication to higher education make him highly suited to leading Mount Kigali University through its next phase of development,” said Prof Gicharu.
Dr Kimemia pointed out that the transformation that began when the Government of Rwanda granted Mount Kigali University autonomy in 2023 is in top gear.
Prof Kabaji is an esteemed academic and thought leader currently based at Kenya’s Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
Prof Kabaji holds a PhD in Folk Media and Communication from the University of South Africa (Unisa), an MBA in Strategic Management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat), a Master of Arts in Literary Studies from Kenyatta University, and a Bachelor of Education in Literature and English from the same university.
“He has distinguished himself as a scholar and literary communicator,” said Dr Kimemia, noting that the don has made notable contributions to literature, cultural studies, and academic leadership.
Added Mount Kigali University VC: “Prof Kabaji, who assumes his new role on August 1, 2025, comes in when the university is on an infrastructure expansion drive. At the same time, we are ramping up our philanthropic effort as an institution.”
Dr Kimemia said he is convinced that, under Prof Kabaji’s stewardship, Mount Kigali University will witness further growth through the forging of more strategic partnerships.
Mount Kigali University started in 2010 as a campus of MKU offering health science, business, and social science courses. The new chancellor comes in when the university is planning to offer doctoral courses, adding to its expanding repertoire of highly marketable programmes.
