100:
22:
307:
youngest Kenyan to have established a chartered university. The only other indigenous
Chartered university was started by the former President Daniel Arap Moi. Mount Kenya University, with 16 Campuses and Centres in Kenya, Rwanda, Somaliland, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda employs over 3,000 people and has a student population of about 50,000. The University is a member of Inter-university Council of East Africa and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
278:
provided micro-loans and training to young entrepreneurs. His seed capital was only Ksh20,000 (US$ 220). KEPP later started offering training in
Computers and changed its name to Thika School of Management Studies (TSMS), with introduction of Management courses. Gradually, TSMS increased its student enrolment and the number of courses. The type of courses it offered was determined by the
277:
Gicharu has also previously worked as a lecturer at Thika
Technical Training Institute. In 1995, he earned a British Council scholarship to study Managing Enterprise Development at Cranfield University, Britain. When he came back he established Kenya Entrepreneurship Promotion Programme (KEPP), which
252:
His early life experiences were the cauldron in which his successful characteristic traits were shaped. As a pupil at
Kiawairia Primary School and later Gathiruini Secondary School, Gicharu had to walk many kilometres to and from school. His parents were peasant farmers and their small piece of land,
235:
and
National Private Universities Owners Association of Kenya. He is the founder of Equip Africa Institute and patron of the Mount Kenya University Graduate Enterprise Academy. He is also a board member at Thika Water and Sewerage Company, and the patron of Inter Universities Rover Moot under the
306:
In 2008, the
Institute was awarded a Letter of Interim Authority by the Commission for University Education in Kenya, to operate as an independent university under the name Mount Kenya University. The university was granted a full Charter status in 2011. At the age of 46 years, Gicharu became the
316:"1st Class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS)." The highest award a civilian can get in Kenya. He was accorded the title by the President of the Republic of Kenya in 2013 in recognition of his contribution to the growth of tertiary education in Kenya.
256:
At Murang’a High School where he undertook his O-Levels, he was the captain in his final year. While in school, he etched a reputation for entrepreneurial acumen, and for assisting fellow students in
Mathematics, a subject he excelled in.
264:
in 1990. His majors were
Mathematics and Chemistry. Soon after graduation, he continued to exercise his passion for education, teaching his favourite Maths subject at various secondary schools in Kenya, and later at the
253:
which they tilled for subsistence, provided barely enough for their upkeep. To supplement the domestic income, Gicharu, alongside his siblings, picked coffee at large commercials farms where he was paid by the kilo.
266:
435:
455:
571:"Gicharu, MKU Founder to be Inducted into 'The Hall of Fame.' - Magazine Reel | The Best Kenyan Campus News SiteMagazine Reel | The Best Kenyan Campus News Site"
269:, and at the Thika Technical Training Institute. He would also author Kenya’s first post-secondary school book on Mathematics, Applied Mathematics for Craft Engineering.
703:
668:
635:
505:
330:
651:
619:
51:
231:
537:
99:
708:
320:
554:
669:"Entertainment News - Kenya : : The Nairobian - Murang'a High: Where cheeky boys sneaked out to go milk neighbours' cows illegally"
358:
402:
521:
723:
439:
620:"Entertainment News - Kenya : : The Nairobian - I picked coffee to supplement family income - Founder of Mt Kenya University"
382:
73:
419:
244:
Entrepreneur of the Year, and subsequently inducted into the Ernst and Young Hall of Fame. He is married with three children.
713:
472:
636:"Standard Digital News : : Business - Rural Electrification Authority shelves signage plan to save Sh1.8 billion"
506:"Standard Digital News : : Business - To develop, Kenya needs technology skills to use the billions from donors"
602:
570:
237:
397:
652:"Standard Digital News : : Health - African scholars told to research on Ebola and stop relying on the West"
718:
34:
44:
38:
30:
286:, TSMS changed its name to Thika Institute of Technology (TIT) in 2003. TIT was the first private college in
217:
698:
213:
193:
55:
359:
https://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/MKU-founder-honoured-in-Namibia/2643604-3394050-53icxe/index.html
144:
693:
151:
343:
261:
137:
555:"Standard Digital News - Kenya : Mount Kenya University founder inducted into Hall of Fame"
403:"Standard Digital News : : Business - Simon Gicharu moved to Rural Electrification"
241:
216:, which is East and Central Africa’s largest private university. He is also the founder of
337:
687:
221:
522:"MKU founder named regional entrepreneur of the year by EY | Capital Business"
224:, Kenya. He is the first in a family of seven. Gicharu is also the Chairman of the
171:
167:
420:"Standard Digital News - Kenya : Simon Gicharu promises 24hr services at REA"
489:
366:
473:"Standard Digital News - Kenya : Why and when should one choose a career?"
295:
283:
113:
586:
282:
demands of the day and with the explosion in use of information science and
538:"Career educationist lands in Hall of Fame - Education | Daily Nation"
348:"Superlative Trailblazer Award" - Awarded by the Marketing Society of Kenya
603:"MKU sets aside Sh300M for a tower campus in Kisumu | Capital Campus"
361:
Mt Kenya
University founder Simon Gicharu honoured as professor in Namibia
291:
260:
Gicharu obtained a
Bachelor of Education Science (Honours) degree from
287:
117:
383:"Meet the Boss: Simon Gicharu, founder, Mount Kenya University"
456:"Word from the Chairman - The MKU Chairman: Mr. Simon Gicharu"
279:
15:
331:
Eastern Africa Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year
490:"Africa's Future Lies With Our Universities - Gicharu"
294:
Gicharu is also the founder of Cape Media, which owns
267:
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
220:
in Rwanda. He was born in 1964 in Gathiruini village,
342:"Outstanding Alumni" - Received from his alma mater,
290:to be accredited to offer the Diploma programme in
199:
185:
177:
163:
132:
124:
106:
90:
326:"2015 World Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame"
436:"Why Gulu awarded MKU founder honorary doctorate"
240:. In 2015, Gicharu was named the Eastern African
43:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks
321:International University of Management, Namibia
367:"Kenya: How Gicharu Started MKU With Sh19,000"
8:
438:. Universitytimesafrica.com. Archived from
98:
87:
74:Learn how and when to remove this message
704:Chiefs of the Order of the Burning Spear
385:. Howwemadeitinafrica.com. 27 March 2013
190:Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees
654:. Standardmedia.co.ke. 3 November 2014
7:
336:"Doctor of Science" - Received from
212:is an educationalist and founder of
667:Nyanchwani, Silas (30 April 2015).
365:Wainaina, James (27 October 2014).
508:. Standardmedia.co.ke. 23 May 2015
405:. Standardmedia.co.ke. 17 May 2014
14:
553:Maichuhie, Kamau (5 June 2015).
524:. Capitalfm.co.ke. 30 April 2015
20:
157:Managing Enterprise Development
709:Alumni of Cranfield University
618:Samora, Mwaura (1 June 2015).
488:Muchangi, John (14 May 2015).
471:Kinoti, Martin (5 June 2015).
1:
319:"2016 Honorary Professorship
418:Mbaka, James (23 May 2014).
540:. Nation.co.ke. 21 May 2014
110:1964 (age 59–60)
740:
724:Kenyatta University alumni
589:. Coastweek. 30 April 2015
587:"The most from the coast"
298:and Radio 47 in Kenya.
97:
248:Early life and education
238:Kenya Scouts Association
29:This article includes a
218:Mount Kigali University
58:more precise citations.
214:Mount Kenya University
194:Mount Kenya University
714:Kenyan businesspeople
638:. Standardmedia.co.ke
557:. Standardmedia.co.ke
475:. Standardmedia.co.ke
422:. Standardmedia.co.ke
145:Bachelor of Education
92:Simon N. Gicharu, CBS
152:Cranfield University
344:Kenyatta University
262:Kenyatta University
138:Kenyatta University
31:list of references
605:. Capitalfm.co.ke
207:
206:
178:Years active
84:
83:
76:
731:
719:Kenyan educators
680:
678:
676:
663:
661:
659:
647:
645:
643:
631:
629:
627:
614:
612:
610:
598:
596:
594:
582:
580:
578:
566:
564:
562:
549:
547:
545:
533:
531:
529:
517:
515:
513:
501:
499:
497:
484:
482:
480:
467:
465:
463:
451:
449:
447:
431:
429:
427:
414:
412:
410:
394:
392:
390:
378:
376:
374:
273:Entrepreneurship
158:
148:
102:
88:
79:
72:
68:
65:
59:
54:this article by
45:inline citations
24:
23:
16:
739:
738:
734:
733:
732:
730:
729:
728:
684:
683:
674:
672:
666:
657:
655:
650:
641:
639:
634:
625:
623:
617:
608:
606:
601:
592:
590:
585:
576:
574:
573:. Magazine Reel
569:
560:
558:
552:
543:
541:
536:
527:
525:
520:
511:
509:
504:
495:
493:
492:. allAfrica.com
487:
478:
476:
470:
461:
459:
454:
445:
443:
442:on 21 June 2015
434:
425:
423:
417:
408:
406:
401:
388:
386:
381:
372:
370:
369:. allAfrica.com
364:
355:
338:Gulu University
313:
304:
275:
250:
242:Ernst and Young
192:
159:
156:
155:
149:
142:
141:
133:Alma mater
120:
111:
93:
80:
69:
63:
60:
49:
35:related reading
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
737:
735:
727:
726:
721:
716:
711:
706:
701:
696:
686:
685:
682:
681:
664:
648:
632:
615:
599:
583:
567:
550:
534:
518:
502:
485:
468:
452:
432:
415:
399:
395:
379:
362:
354:
351:
350:
349:
346:
340:
334:
327:
324:
317:
312:
309:
303:
300:
274:
271:
249:
246:
205:
204:
201:
197:
196:
187:
183:
182:
179:
175:
174:
165:
161:
160:
134:
130:
129:
126:
122:
121:
112:
108:
104:
103:
95:
94:
91:
82:
81:
39:external links
28:
26:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
736:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
702:
700:
699:Living people
697:
695:
692:
691:
689:
670:
665:
653:
649:
637:
633:
621:
616:
604:
600:
588:
584:
572:
568:
556:
551:
539:
535:
523:
519:
507:
503:
491:
486:
474:
469:
457:
453:
441:
437:
433:
421:
416:
404:
400:
398:
396:
384:
380:
368:
363:
360:
357:
356:
352:
347:
345:
341:
339:
335:
332:
328:
325:
322:
318:
315:
314:
310:
308:
301:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
272:
270:
268:
263:
258:
254:
247:
245:
243:
239:
234:
233:
227:
223:
222:Kiambu County
219:
215:
211:
210:Simon Gicharu
202:
198:
195:
191:
188:
184:
180:
176:
173:
169:
166:
164:Occupation(s)
162:
154:
153:
146:
140:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
109:
105:
101:
96:
89:
86:
78:
75:
67:
57:
53:
47:
46:
40:
36:
32:
27:
18:
17:
673:. Retrieved
656:. Retrieved
640:. Retrieved
624:. Retrieved
607:. Retrieved
591:. Retrieved
575:. Retrieved
559:. Retrieved
542:. Retrieved
526:. Retrieved
510:. Retrieved
494:. Retrieved
477:. Retrieved
460:. Retrieved
444:. Retrieved
440:the original
424:. Retrieved
407:. Retrieved
387:. Retrieved
371:. Retrieved
305:
276:
259:
255:
251:
229:
225:
209:
208:
189:
181:1993–present
172:Entrepreneur
168:Educationist
150:
136:
85:
70:
61:
50:Please help
42:
694:1964 births
671:. Sde.co.ke
622:. Sde.co.ke
458:. Mku.ac.ke
230:Regulatory
125:Nationality
56:introducing
688:Categories
353:References
302:University
284:technology
114:Gathiruini
228:Services
64:June 2015
292:Pharmacy
675:21 June
658:21 June
642:21 June
626:21 June
609:21 June
593:21 June
577:21 June
561:21 June
544:21 June
528:21 June
512:21 June
496:21 June
479:21 June
462:21 June
446:21 June
426:21 June
409:21 June
389:21 June
373:21 June
52:improve
329:"2014
311:Awards
200:Spouse
128:Kenyan
288:Kenya
232:Board
226:Water
186:Title
118:Kenya
37:, or
677:2015
660:2015
644:2015
628:2015
611:2015
595:2015
579:2015
563:2015
546:2015
530:2015
514:2015
498:2015
481:2015
464:2015
448:2015
428:2015
411:2015
391:2015
375:2015
296:TV47
107:Born
280:job
690::
170:,
116:,
41:,
33:,
679:.
662:.
646:.
630:.
613:.
597:.
581:.
565:.
548:.
532:.
516:.
500:.
483:.
466:.
450:.
430:.
413:.
393:.
377:.
333:"
323:"
203:1
147:)
143:(
77:)
71:(
66:)
62:(
48:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
