Catholic University of Eastern Africa

The main campus of the university is located along Bogani East Road, in the neighborhood called Langata, a southwestern neighborhood, within the city of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and the largest city in that country. The geographical coordinates of the university campus are: 1°21'04.0"S, 36°45'28.0"E (Latitude:-1.351111; Longitude:36.757778).[3]

Catholic University of East Africa founded on 3 September 1984, as a graduate school of theology, under the name the Catholic Higher Institute of Eastern Africa (CHIEA). The institute was founded by the regional ecclesiastical authority known as Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA). The member countries of AMECEA are: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. On 18 August 1985, the institution was formally opened by Pope John Paul II. In 1986, the Graduate School of Theology started negotiations with the Commission for Higher Education in Kenya to establish the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA).[4]

In 1989, the institute obtained the "Letter of Interim Authority" as the first step towards its establishment as a private university. After three years of intensive negotiations between the Authority of the Graduate School of Theology (CHIEA) and the Commission for Higher Education, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was established. The climax of the negotiations was a granting of the Civil Charter to CHIEA on 3 November 1992. This marked the birth of the university as a private institution. The institute rebranded as the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, in 1992.[4]

In 2002, the Faculties of Science and Commerce were established. Then in 2003, the Center for Social Justice & Ethics was established. The Faculty of Law was established in 2004, and the School of Continuing Professional Development in 2009. In 2009, satellite campuses were established in Eldoret and Kisumu.[5] In April 2013, the university opened a new campus in the I&M Tower, along Kenyatta Avenue, in Nairobi's central business district. The campus can accommodate up to 500 students.[6]

In 2018, CUEA encountered financial difficulties that stemmed from poor management and a loss of KSh400 million (US$4 million) to former university officials, according to CUEA's former vice chancellor, Professor Justus Mbae.[7]

Investigations by the Daily Nation revealed that CUEA's vice chancellor preceding Prof. Mbae, one Dr. Pius Rutechura, together with CUEA's deputy vice-chancellor in charge of finance and the chief financial officer were facing audit questions over the loss.[8]

This theft resulted in CUEA not meeting its salary obligations in the ensuing years, particularly to part-time lecturers who make up the bulk of its teaching staff. Salary arrears led to thousands of exam booklets being withheld by instructors and created a practice of missing marks being manipulated by the school's administrators. These woes even imperilled CUEA's 35th graduation ceremony, according to local media reports.[9]

CUEA never recovered from the KSh400 million "loss to university officials", and it was forced to close its Nairobi city and Kisumu campuses, in January 2018.[10] The university has also been trying to liquidate land it owns in Karen, in a bid to raise funds. The Commission for University Education (CUE) threatened CUEA in January 2018 with closure if the university did not improve its financial standing within one year.[11] The problems at the university continued when the Kenya Private Universities Workers Union announced a strike in January 2019 over inconsistencies and delay in salary payments and a reduction of the Provident Fund from 17 per cent to 6 per cent.[12]

On 1 October 2018, Reverend Professor Stephen Mbugua assumed office as CUEA's new vice chancellor. On the same day, the Right Reverend Charles Kasonde, Bishop of Solwezi, Zambia was elected as the new chairman of AMECEA, taking over from the outgoing chairman Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel of Addis Ababa, Etiopia. Reverend Kasonde is the new chancellor of CUEA.[13]

As of May 2020, the university maintains the following faculties:[14]

• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Commerce
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Theology

• Marist International University College
• Tangaza University College
• Hekima University College
• Regina Pacis University College
• Uzima University College

• Don Bosco College: Moshi, Tanzania
• Christ the King Major Seminary
• The Spiritan Seminary
• AMECEA Pastoral Institute
• Chemichemi ya Uzima Center

• Ukweli Video Production

Notable alumni include:

• Stella Kilonzo, executive director of the Capital Markets Authority of Kenya; July 2008 – June 2012.[15]
• Eve D'Souza, media personality
• George Khaniri, senator, Vihiga County
• Vanessa Mdee, singer

• Education in Kenya
• List of universities in Kenya

• Website of Catholic University of Eastern Africa