The main university campus is located in the town of Chuka, in Tharaka-Nithi County, along the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya. This location is along the Nairobi-Meru Highway, approximately 172 kilometres (107 mi) northeast of Nairobi, the country's capital city.[4] The elevation of the university campus is approximately 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above mean sea level.
History
The institution was established on 27 September 2004, by Egerton University Council, as a campus of that university. In 2007, through legal notice No. 161 of 2007 the campus was transformed into "Chuka University College", the successor of the former Egerton University Eastern Campus College, Chuka.[5] President Mwai Kibaki, the country's head of state granted full university charter status to Chuka University on 8 January 2013.[6]
Professor Erastus Njoka was the university's first vice chancellor, serving in that capacity for the 17 years from 2004 until 2022, when he left to join Kenyan elective politics. He was succeeded in acting capacity by Professor Dorcas Itsusa, who previously served as the deputy vice chancellor for academic affairs, research and student affairs.[2] In June 2023, Professor Henry Mutembei was named as the new substantive vice chancellor, having previously served as deputy vice chancellor for administration, finance, planning and development.[1]
