Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir graced the stand of the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM), at the ongoing Pwani Innovation Week 5th Edition 2024, where he advised students to prioritize innovations.
Interacting with TUM students and staff, the governor said that the economic growth and employment creation of the county lie in innovation, and training institutions stand to play a central role in that direction.
Therefore, he took the opportunity to urge scores of TUM students who were present to focus on research and innovation in order to devise lasting solutions to problems affecting the community.
Mr Nassir was impressed by the “sparkling innovations” of TUM students. He also appreciated the staff and the University as a whole for their commitment to research, training and innovation.
He keenly watched and engaged the students as they systematically explained concepts involved in different exhibitions that TUM is presenting to the public in this year’s innovation week at the Mombasa’s Swahilipot Hub.
Some of the key showcases that are proving a major attraction to the TUM stand are, the unmanned ground robot with explosive device detection, automatic irrigation using a solar tracking system, smart elevator and the Mombasa County Master plan.
In his keynote speech, TUM’s Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academics Research and Extension Prof Peter Gichangi emphasized peaceful coexistence among the youth for prosperity in the country.
“This year’s Pwani Innovation Week theme dubbed The Pwani We Desire: Youth, Culture, Peace and Innovation in the Decade of Action, highlights the power of youth, culture, peace and innovation in driving coastal (pwani) region transformation through collaboration and creativity to shape sustainable future, “Prof Gichangi said.
Prof Gichangi urged the youth to focus on leveraging innovative approaches and adaptive strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change on coastal communities.
He disclosed that TUM has well-trained human resource and facilities to prepare students for the job market. Gichangi emphasized that the University is committed to nurturing a culture of innovation among students.
“We commend the Swahilipot Hub Foundation and its partners for helping create a widespread culture of innovation and stimulate the innovation ecosystem in the Coastal region of Eastern Africa,” Prof Gichangi concluded.
Pwani Innovation Week aims to foster a widespread culture of innovation and stimulate the innovation ecosystem in the coastal region of Eastern Africa. The initiative is a collaborative endeavour led by the Swahilipot Hub Foundation and its partners.
