Kenyatta University an advanced institution of higher learning but also adventurous. It has a lot of beautiful sceneries, recreation centers and natural resources. These scenes are useful for breaking the normal class monotony.
It is a great setback for a comrade to spend an entire 4-year period or more at the campus and exit without exploring the various scenes and interesting sites at the prestigious institution.
As a student, staff or visitor at kenyatta University, it is advisable to visit the environs within the campus. This gives you a clear insight of the beautiful and adventurous environment around.
If you want to spend your weekend or an afternoon with your friends or fiance at kenyatta University, look out for these places
1. Ku Arboretum
The arboretum is a cool evergreen garden at the far left corner of the institution. Students hang around there during weekends and anytime they feel like taking a break from the usual routine.
Here you take a few photos with your friends, classmates or fiance. You can hold a birthday party or any function that can accommodate all of your classmates or friends at the arboretum.
Normally, when you walk around, you find several couples basking on the seats that are placed at strategic positions within the arboretum. Occasionally there are some groups of students choir, prayer groups or even team building groups. Some freshers are always wondering what is going on.
Ku Arboretum showing a spring at the middle. Photo. Ku website
Don’t worry about getting a photographer. You will meet some guys moving around with cameras hanged around their necks waiting for clients to take photographs.
The arboretum is equipped with all necessary facilities. These incude washrooms, lighting, pavement and security. There is a spring at the center of the facility and a stream flowing across the left end. These makes the place look more appealing and serene.
Within the entire park are different types of trees that gives the place a cool atmosphere even during the sunny season.
Haven’t visited this place before?, then you need to pay a visit before you exit the university
2.The Campanile
Kenyatta University Campanile is an unique bell tower with 14 floors. This makes it the tallest building in the university and the surrounding areas.
It was opened in 2015 during the reign of the former vice chancellor Prof. Olive Mugenda. It is the first university campanile in East and Central Africa
The campanile acts as a museum to the university where the university’s historical artifacts and archival materials are preserved. Here you get a vast experience and knowledge about the history, present and future of kenyatta University.
Each of it’s 14 floors has a category of artifacts preserved for reference purposes. For instance, on the ground floor, there are historical images of the university since the time it was founded in 1985.
In the documentary room, some historical videos that contain relevant historical information about the institution are found. This information is useful to researchers and other persons who wish to get a deeper insight of the institution.
The campanile features Architectural designs of modern outstanding buildings at the university. These include the post modern library, Ku central administration block, Ku refferal hospital as well as the upcoming Ku children’s hospital.
At the topmost floor of the tower, there is an ample space from where you can view the entire university grounds. Furthermore, there is a highly sensitive binoculars with incorporated 10-power multilayer coated lenses.
The binoculars helps you zoom every corner of the institution to get a superb view of its meticulous environment.
You can also zoom the Nairobi city and view the beauty of it’s outstanding skyscrapers. Such may include the iconic KICC, Times tower as well as the UAP old mutual tower in upper hill. Amazing experience right?
The tower is open to students, staff and general public. A small fee is charged to acces the tower, Ksh 50 for students, Ksh 100 for staff and Ksh 150 for general public.
The small fee is used to support a group of Orphans and Vulnerable Students (OVS) within the institution.
It is open daily from Monday to friday from 8 Am to 7 Pm,on Saturday, 8 Am to 6 Pm and on Sunday, 8Am to 4 Pm. During public holidays, you can access the campanile as from 2 to 5 Pm.
Ku campanile is undoubtedly one of the most adventurous premises at the institution.
If you need to pay a visit, you can just walk into the institution and enjoy some cool moments as you explore the campanile and its great experience away from the normal.
3. The Campsite
Very few people know that Ku has a campsite, very few. I came across several people who were in Ku and graduated without knowing the existence of such a facility. This tells the whole need of having an occasional campus tour every time you have the opportunity.
The Campsite is located just next to KUCC. From the Main gate you follow church road and branch into Ngong drive, follow the drive and go past KUCC, you will get to the campsite.
The campsite is another haven of adventure, though with more complex environment than that of arboretum. It has different species of plants and trees that are useful to researchers.
It is used for academic purposes for students in the school of exercise and sport science as well as school of environmental studies.
Just like the name suggests, it is a camping ground . Students on academic tours or other classified groups do camp there and stay for some days as they do their research or activities.
The campsite acts as a very useful resource to the Institution. Though there are some restrictions, no one would barr you from accessing it if at all you have the passion to visit.
4. The Post Modern Library
Kenyatta University library takes the lead as the best university library in Kenya, East and Central Africa.
Nowhere in Kenya will you find such a prestigious library. It is equipped with all modern facilities and thousands of books, research papers, videos and projects.
A library is arguably the most useful resource a university can have. Mind you, for an institution to be classified as a university, a reliable and well equipped library is one of the qualifications.
At the PML, you find all the materials needed for your academic studies.While walking through the premises, you get a breathtaking experience right from the basement where discussions are held up to the top floor.
Several first year students narrated how they were first shocked when they accidentally trolled into the basement area and thought they were mysteriously lost.
They had later realized that they were in the same building, perhaps after loitering around for a couple of minutes, then consulting a senior student.
Each floor of the PML is equipped with a computer lab, several books shelves and a discussion room. The books are classified according to courses and labeled systematically.
About movement within the building, there are elevators and hydraulic lifts that ease movement within the building.
An outstanding feature of the library is that it offers services for people with disabilities. There is a special unit for the said group at the ground floor. This is a rare opportunity to find in other libraries.
The wise men say that the first impression matters a lot. I concur, what amazes most people about the PML is its outstanding architectural design. The architects must have worked extra hard to come up with the model.
Not forgetting it’s round shape at the front, the entire walls are aligned with blue mirror covers, giving it a meticulous look from far. There is also a basement parking lot and a fountain at the entrance.
Although a library is a fundamental facility and not many students can avoid it, some do. Therefore if you happen to be around Ku, visit the facility and have a breathtaking experience as you explore it.
5.The swimming pool
Swimming is an enjoyable and relaxing indoor sport. Nevertheless not all people like swimming. If you happen to be in Ku and like swimming, visit the swimming pool.
The facility is housed under department of exercise and sports science. You find it just opposite the shopping center on your way to the school bus park.
It is equipped with two complete pools, one for adults and one for kids. This means that even the little ones are catered for. It only costs Ksh 50 to access to facility and swim as much as you can.
The Ku Ruiru campus also has a swimming pool. The pool is used by students who study at the campus. These include students in the school of Media studies and school of Architecture.
Most students visit the swimming pool during the weekends. However if you have some free time during the weekdays, you can visit and enjoy the convenience of the facility at your own pleasure.
Note: We have selected the most outstanding facilities in this case. However there are many more that you can visit and have a great experience.
