Outstanding biotechnology students from the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, and Egerton University were honoured in an event organised by the Kenya University Biotechnology Consortium (Kubico), as stakeholders called for policy reforms to support the growing sector.
The award ceremony celebrated academic excellence and aimed to inspire greater youth involvement in biotechnology. Kubico also unveiled plans to revamp its Youth Wing to promote biotech awareness across campuses. Experts urged a comprehensive policy framework that encourages innovation and supports graduates entering the field.
Prof Richard Oduor, the Registrar of Research at Kenyatta University, said biotechnology is evolving rapidly and attracting increasing student interest. “We are seeing new innovations emerging in the 21st century,” he said. “We want to encourage young people to start appreciating these trends and adopt them.”
Oduor highlighted a surge in applications for biotechnology-related programmes, including biomedical engineering and food informatics. He, however, raised concerns about judicial constraints affecting the implementation of biotech solutions in Kenya, particularly due to the GMO ban.
“We are admitting top students, but when they graduate, judicial constraints make it difficult for them to practice. The courts have become the de facto regulators,” he said, appealing to the judiciary to expedite decisions that impact biotech advancement.
Egerton University’s Prof Charles Muleke emphasised the broad applications of biotechnology, from agriculture to medicine and manufacturing. “We cannot do without biotechnology,” he stated. “It brings together biology, chemistry and biochemistry to create solutions for humanity.”
Muleke noted that modern biotech tools such as disease-resistant crops and improved animal feeds are essential for increasing food productivity amid rising population pressures.
Dr Joel Ochieng, Biotechnology Programme leader at UoN and Kubico Secretary General, announced plans to expand the awards in 2026 to include institutions like JKUAT, Masinde Muliro, and Maseno University.
“Young people don’t have to wait to be employed. They can create jobs, develop solutions, and contribute to national development,” he said, adding that the awards are a stepping stone to positioning biotech as a driver of innovation and enterprise in Kenya.
