President Mwai Kibaki yesterday awarded a charter to Kisii University College, increasing the number of public universities to 13. President Kibaki said that the government in conjunction with the Ministry of Higher Education will soon elevate nine other colleges across the country to full university status.

Speaking in Kisii, Kibaki urged the university management to make the institution a centre of excellence and world class university.

He said: "Receiving a charter is not enough, so what is needed is for you to work hard to put the university among the best in the country and the world."

The president was accompanied by Cabinet ministers Margaret Kamar (higher education), Sam Ongeri (foreign affairs), Chris Obure (public works), Chairman of Commission of Higher Education, Ezra Martim, and secretary David Kimutai Some.

Kibaki cautioned university students against wasting valuable study time and warned that they will regret in future.

"You must realise that your parents deny themselves to educate you so you must work hard. Anything else is superfluous," the Head of State said.

He commended the university council led by Prof Joseph Nyansani, saying they had enabled the university meet requirements necessary for elevation. Kamar said Kisii is among the five public universities to be granted charter by the president.