CUEA Gaba Graduates Challenged to Champion Integrity, Innovation and Home-Grown Solutions
By Rev. Dr. Maurice Erambo and Stephen Mbobu
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ngong, Rt. Rev. John Oballa Owaa, has challenged graduates of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) AMECEA Gaba Campus to embrace ethical leadership, innovation and community-centred research as they take up their responsibilities in society.
Delivering the keynote address during the 2026 Post-Graduation celebrations at Gaba Campus in Eldoret on behalf of the AMECEA Bishops, Bishop Oballa urged the graduates to use their education to address Africa’s challenges, particularly corruption, unemployment and social inequality.
Speaking under the theme “Transforming Societies through Ethical Leadership, Transformative Education, Research and Innovation,” he observed that Africa’s greatest challenge was not a shortage of resources or talent, but a crisis of integrity and leadership.
He called on graduates to uphold honesty and reject corruption, regardless of the pressure or personal cost. Sharing an example of a public official who resisted procurement-related kickbacks, he emphasised the importance of keeping one’s hands clean in public and professional service.
He also encouraged graduates to embrace servant leadership, following the example of Jesus Christ, and to approach their careers with a commitment to serving society rather than pursuing personal gain.
On transformative education, Bishop Oballa challenged graduates to translate classroom knowledge into practical solutions that improve livelihoods and create employment. He illustrated this through the example of a catering and nutrition graduate who established a kitchen garden, shared nutritional knowledge with her community and eventually developed a commercial produce business.
He further called for research that responds to local realities rather than relying solely on imported models and assumptions. Citing an example from a Maasai pastoral community, he explained how a priest improved church attendance by listening to residents and adjusting Sunday Mass from 8.00 am to 11.00 am to accommodate their morning livestock activities.
“Research begins when we stop making assumptions and start asking why and why not,” he observed.
Addressing innovation and emerging technologies, Bishop Oballa urged graduates to develop creative responses to youth unemployment. He highlighted partnerships involving electric bicycle companies, beekeeping enterprises and telecommunications providers as examples of initiatives that can create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
He also cautioned against allowing technological advancement, particularly artificial intelligence, to undermine human dignity. He emphasised that technology should enhance human life, relationships and community rather than reduce people to instruments of efficiency.
“Our beloved continent of Africa does not need graduates who are mere job-seekers. Africa needs young men and women who are ready and willing to bite the bullet, keep their hands clean, and bring about the genuine transformation of our societies,” he said.
In his concluding message, Bishop Oballa reminded the graduates that their families and sponsors had provided the foundation for their success, while CUEA Gaba Campus had equipped them with the knowledge and values to contribute meaningfully to society.
He urged them to carry the principles of integrity, transformative education, contextual research and human-centred innovation into their professional and personal lives, becoming agents of positive change in Africa and beyond.
Bishop Oballa also led the Thanksgiving Mass at the celebration held on Friday, October 30, 2026.