Lukenya University (LU)

The story of Lukenya institutions began in 1991 when the late Justice Kasanga Mulwa and his wife Martha established Lukenya Academy. The family ventured into university education in 2011, and the university was chartered in August 2022. Located along the Athi River in Mtito Andei, Makueni County, Lukenya University serves over 800 students across its Main and Athi River campuses.

The university operates four schools including Agriculture Technical Studies and Natural Sciences, Business and Economics, Health Sciences, and Education and Social Sciences. Its Green Philosophy emphasises renewable technologies for food security, energy, and sustainability.

Accredited by CUE, the institution ranks 65th nationally. Its rural setting along the Athi River, adjacent to Tsavo East National Park, provides an ideal environment for field-based research in dryland agriculture and environmental sustainability.

Lukenya University focuses on applied research in education, agriculture, and community development, leveraging its rural setting in semi-arid Makueni County for field-based studies. The university has established a research niche in dryland research, collaborating with the International Crops Research for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) on dryland cereals including sorghum, pearl millet, and groundnuts — determining the best varieties for semi-arid Kibwezi East Sub-County. Additional research areas include vertical farming (hydroponics), nursery establishment through seed harvesting, mulberry propagation and sericulture. A Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2023 with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and CIAT-Alliance supports research on animal feed, Melia species, and forage trials. The university launched a Pan-African Institute in November 2023, positioning itself as a global research and Pan-African centre for African Studies. Collaboration with the County Government of Makueni supports research on SDGs, climate change, and food security. Research output increasingly informs dryland farming practices, environmental conservation, and county-level agricultural policy across Makueni and the broader ASAL regions of Kenya.

A C+ mean grade in KCSE for Bachelor's programmes. Diploma programmes require C (plain). Direct application to the university.