Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU) is hosting two visiting scholars under Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF)–supported Making and Implementing Decisions in Urban Transport in Africa (MID-UTA) programme to support ongoing research on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in Nairobi.
The scholars, Dr. Adeleye Bamiji Michael and Dr. Nunyi Vachaku Blamah, who are in the country to contribute to BRT stream fieldwork and knowledge exchange, were received by Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology who is also MID-UTA Lead at MMU, Dr. Gladys Nyachieo.
Speaking while welcoming the scholars during a courtesy call to her office, MMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Rosebella Maranga said university is proud to be part of partnerships that advance urban transport research in Africa.
She noted that sustainable development on the continent can only be achieved through home-grown, evidence-based solutions that respond to Africa’s unique mobility challenges.
Prof. Maranga commended Dr. Nyachieo and the MID-UTA team for strengthening MMU’s research profile and urged them to continue attracting more collaborative research opportunities and funding to the university.
MMU is the host institution for the MID-UTA programme, a multi-country research initiative aimed at strengthening evidence-based decision-making in urban transport across Africa.
The two scholars are beneficiaries of a VREF travel grant and will work closely with the MMU MID-UTA team during the Nairobi data collection phase.
Dr. Michael is a Lecturer in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. He holds a B.Tech and an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning, as well as a PhD from Makerere University.
His research focuses on transportation planning and inclusivity, Remote Sensing and GIS, and energy planning and modelling. As a member of the VREF Next Generation Scholar network, he has contributed to inclusive mobility research focusing on children with disabilities in Ibadan and Kampala.
Dr. Blamah is a Unit Head at the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria, and a Visiting Academic in the Department of Environmental Management at Bingham University, Karu.
He holds a PhD in Town and Regional Planning from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His expertise spans road safety audits, traffic and crash data analysis, and evidence-based transport policy, with broader research interests in sustainable urban development, inclusive urbanism, environmental justice, and GIS applications. He has published widely and is a multiple recipient of VREF research grants.
Dr. Nyachieo said that during their stay in Kenya, the visiting scholars will participate in fieldwork activities, stakeholder engagements, and collaborative research as part of the MID-UTA BRT stream, further strengthening knowledge exchange between MMU and regional research institutions.
By Nicanor Ndiege
