Kenya National Police DT SACCO Chief Executive Officer Solomon Angutsa Atsiaya has been sworn in as Chairman of the Co-operative University of Kenya Alumni Association (CUKAA), as the University moves to strengthen and revitalise its engagement with alumni and create greater opportunities for its students.
Atsiaya took the oath alongside other members of the newly constituted CUKAA Executive Committee during a swearing-in ceremony officiated by the university’s Ag. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac K. Nyamongo.
The new executive brings together professionals drawn from different fields, with the aim of leveraging their experience, networks and professional standing to strengthen the university’s relationship with its alumni and support its students.
Other members of the executive sworn in include Ms Mary Njoki Mbugua, an Assistant Lecturer at The Co-operative University of Kenya, who serves as Vice Chairperson, and Dr Peter Wawire Ongeti, Business Development Manager at CIC Insurance Group, Chairperson of CIC Sacco and a Co-op Bank Kenya Delegate, who serves as Secretary.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prof. Nyamongo reaffirmed the University’s commitment to building meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships with its alumni, describing them as important stakeholders and a living testimony of the University’s contribution to society.
“Alumni are integral stakeholders of the University and a living testimony of the contribution that The Co-operative University of Kenya makes to society,” said Prof. Nyamongo.
He said the new executive would play a key role in strengthening alumni connections and professional networks while advancing mentorship, research, internships, fundraising, knowledge sharing and the University’s visibility.
For Atsiaya, his appointment marks a new chapter in his relationship with an institution that formed part of his professional journey and an opportunity to mobilise successful alumni to give back to the next generation.
The Chairman said the Association’s success would ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates for students and the strength of the connections it builds among alumni.
“We have alumni who have built successful careers in different fields. Our responsibility now is to bring that experience, knowledge and network together and make it useful to the students coming behind us,” said Atsiaya.
A key priority for the Association will be developing a structured mentorship programme that connects students with professionals who can provide practical career guidance, industry exposure and insights into the transition from university to the workplace.
The Association also seeks to establish a sponsorship programme for needy and deserving students, alongside exploring opportunities for internships, professional networking and other forms of support.
Atsiaya said the ambition was to build an alumni community in which success is not viewed simply as an individual achievement, but as an opportunity to create pathways for others. The new executive will therefore seek to reconnect alumni from CUK and its predecessor institutions and encourage greater participation in the University’s development.
The appointment brings together Atsiaya’s experience in cooperative-sector leadership with the diverse professional expertise of the new CUKAA executive, positioning the Association to strengthen the link between the University’s alumni, its current students and the wider professional community.
As the new leadership begins its tenure, its focus will be on building a vibrant and connected alumni community that can mentor, support, inspire and open doors for the generation of professionals now coming through CUK.
