FROM SERGOIT POLO CLUB TO A CENTRE OF EDUCATION: THE UNTOLD HISTORY OF TAACHASIS AS PRESIDENT RUTO VISITS MOIBEN

Former Moiben MP Silas Tiren traces the history of Taachasis, from its origins as Sergoit Polo Club to the establishment of schools and the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, in a journey shaped by community trustees, political leaders, land disputes and a longstanding vision for public development.

  The history of Taachasis, formerly known as Sergoit Polo Club, is a story of land, community determination, leadership and the pursuit of educational opportunities for future generations.

As President William Samoei Ruto prepares to officially launch the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, attention has once again turned to the history of the land on which the institution stands and the decades of effort that have contributed to its transformation.

For the people of Taachasis and the wider Moiben constituency, the occasion represents more than the opening of an educational institution. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the work of the original land trustees, community elders, political leaders, education officials and residents who envisioned a future in which the former polo grounds would serve a broader public purpose.

Former Moiben Member of Parliament Hon. Silas Tiren says the journey has involved years of planning, negotiations, public participation and efforts to protect the land for community development.

According to Tiren's account, the land associated with the former Sergoit Polo Club became the focus of a long-term vision to establish educational institutions and other public facilities that would benefit residents of Moiben and neighbouring areas.

The journey, however, was not without difficulties. Disagreements over ownership, concerns about the land's future use and delays in implementing development plans presented challenges that required the involvement of community members and successive leaders.

Today, with educational institutions established on the grounds, the story of Taachasis has become closely associated with the expansion of access to education and technical training in the North Rift region.

The origins of Sergoit Polo Club

The grounds, locally associated with the polo club and situated in the Taachasis area of Moiben, Uasin Gishu County, have a history closely intertwined with the Tiren family and other individuals who held responsibilities as trustees of the land.

The family and its associates were among those linked to the promotion of polo in the North Rift region, giving the grounds their longstanding identity as a polo facility.

However, as the community's development needs evolved, attention increasingly turned to how the land could be used to support public institutions and create opportunities for future generations.

According to Tiren, the registered land parcels associated with the development discussions included LR 3769/1 and LR 5734/1. Portions of the land were earmarked for public purposes, including the establishment of schools, a college and a stadium.

Among the trustees identified in Tiren's account were the late Mzee Kite Tiren and Mzee Katoton, alongside other community figures who supported the vision of using the land to promote local development.

Their contribution formed part of the foundation upon which subsequent efforts to establish educational facilities were built.

The vision was to move beyond the land's association with polo and make it a resource that could serve the wider community, particularly through education and public infrastructure.

For local families, access to schools and institutions offering higher levels of learning was an important development priority. Establishing such facilities within the area would help expand opportunities for young people and strengthen the region's educational infrastructure.

Trustees and elders lay the foundation for development

The original trustees and community elders played a significant role in advancing the idea that the land should serve a public purpose.

Their vision centred on establishing institutions that could benefit generations of learners rather than allowing the land's potential to remain limited to its earlier use.

Following the death of Mzee Kite Tiren, Hon. Silas Tiren says he assumed the role of trustee and handed over the relevant ownership documentation as efforts to advance the proposed developments continued.

The transfer of documentation was an important part of the process because the establishment of public institutions requires clarity over land ownership, allocation and the intended use of the property.

The broader vision included a college, schools and a stadium, facilities that could collectively transform Taachasis into a centre of education and community development.

However, turning that vision into reality proved more complicated than anticipated.

Questions about land ownership and the future use of particular portions of the property emerged, creating challenges for those seeking to move the projects forward.

The history of Taachasis therefore became not only a story about constructing schools and a college but also one about the importance of protecting land intended for public benefit and ensuring that development plans were supported by the necessary documentation.

Land disputes and the community's intervention

As plans for the land progressed, disagreements over ownership emerged, with some parties reportedly pursuing legal action over the property.

Tiren's account also describes concerns among residents about proposals they feared could result in portions of the land being converted to private use or subdivided.

These concerns placed the future of the land at the centre of community discussions.

For residents who supported the establishment of public institutions, the central issue was whether the land would continue to serve the broader development needs of the area.

The matter prompted community mobilisation and public engagement, as residents sought to defend what they understood to be the intended public purpose of the grounds.

One of the key moments in the process was a public participation exercise that, according to Tiren, attracted more than 1,000 people.

During the exercise, residents reportedly expressed opposition to proposals associated with the then area assistant chief and Charles Chemweno, which they feared could lead to the land being converted to private use.

The public participation exercise became an important chapter in the community's efforts to influence decisions concerning the land.

It demonstrated the level of local interest in the future of Taachasis and reinforced calls for the proposed educational and public facilities to proceed.

The gathering also illustrated the importance of public participation in decisions involving land, community interests and development priorities.

While the disputes and disagreements presented obstacles, the community continued to push for the land to be used in a manner that would benefit present and future generations.

The specific legal ownership questions and allegations concerning proposed private use remain matters that require verification against official land records and court documents.

Taachasis Primary School: The first major educational milestone

Despite the challenges, the vision for education gradually began to take shape.

According to Tiren, the original trustees and community elders were instrumental in establishing Taachasis Primary School, laying an early foundation for the area's educational development.

The school represented a practical step towards converting the vision for community development into a functioning public institution.

Its establishment provided a basis for expanding access to primary education and demonstrated how the land could serve the needs of local families.

The development also created a foundation for subsequent efforts to establish secondary education facilities and a college.

For the original trustees and elders, the establishment of a school was an important expression of their belief that the land could become a lasting resource for the community.

The school remains part of the broader history of the transformation of Taachasis from a polo-centred location into an area associated with education and institutional development.

Former Eldoret East MP Joseph Lagat advances secondary education

The next significant phase came with the involvement of former Eldoret East MP Hon. Joseph Lagat, who, according to Tiren's account, supported the establishment of a girls' secondary school in the area.

At the time, the former polo clubhouses were reportedly used as the initial classrooms, allowing the school to begin operating while the wider educational vision continued to develop.

The use of the existing clubhouses illustrates how facilities associated with the land's earlier purpose could be adapted to meet emerging community needs.

Rather than waiting for all the planned infrastructure to be completed, the initial school operations made it possible to begin providing secondary education using the available buildings.

The establishment of girls' secondary education was another step in broadening educational opportunities in Taachasis and its surroundings.

The school subsequently became part of the area's expanding educational landscape, alongside the primary school and plans for a tertiary institution.

The development also reflected the contributions of successive leaders, each of whom played a role at different stages of the journey.

While the original trustees and elders helped establish the vision, subsequent political leaders and education officials supported efforts to turn it into functioning institutions.

The college dream and the role of Prof. George Saitoti Kamar

The ambition to establish a college at Taachasis marked a further stage in the community's development vision.

According to Tiren's account, Prof. George Saitoti Kamar later supported the proposed college and provided initial funding towards the project.

The initiative was intended to expand educational opportunities beyond primary and secondary schooling and provide a pathway towards further learning and skills development.

The proposed college was envisioned as part of a wider plan to make the land a centre for education and development.

However, the project encountered delays, with documentation requirements identified as a major obstacle.

The delay demonstrated the importance of completing the administrative and legal processes required before a proposed educational institution can be fully developed.

Although the initial vision had been established and funding had begun, the absence of the necessary documentation slowed progress.

According to Tiren, the project later received renewed attention following community engagement and the continued involvement of political leaders and education officials.

The college project was subsequently launched by Kamar and the late Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo, marking another milestone in the effort to establish a higher-level educational institution on the grounds.

The launch represented a continuation of a vision that had started with the original trustees and community elders.

It also reinforced the idea that the land could support institutions serving a wider population beyond Taachasis itself.

Mutula Kilonzo's role in the foundation of the college project

The late Mutula Kilonzo, who served as Education Minister, is also associated with the development of the proposed college.

According to Tiren's account, Kilonzo laid the foundation stone for the institution after the initial funding had been provided.

The foundation-stone ceremony symbolised the intention to establish the college and gave the project a visible place in the area's development plans.

However, the subsequent delays meant that the vision would take longer to achieve than originally anticipated.

The documentation challenges highlighted the difficulties that can arise when land administration, institutional planning and public development projects do not progress at the same pace.

Nevertheless, the foundation laid during that period remained part of the project's history.

The involvement of Kilonzo and other education leaders helped keep the college proposal within the broader discussion about the future of education in Taachasis.

The project would later benefit from further attention, funding and development efforts under successive administrations.

Silas Tiren's leadership and the push for completion

Hon. Silas Tiren says he took over leadership responsibilities when the school had only recently started and continued working to secure support for its development.

During his tenure as Moiben MP, the project received further attention and funding intended to advance construction and support the completion of the institution.

Tiren recalls that the final financial year of his tenure saw an allocation of Sh90 million towards completion and commissioning.

According to his account, the allocation followed a visit by the late Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha.

The funding was part of the wider effort to address the infrastructure needs of the institution and move the project closer to its intended operational status.

The development illustrates the importance of continuity in public projects, particularly those that extend across several years and involve different political leaders and government administrations.

Projects of this nature often require sustained attention, successive budgetary allocations, administrative approvals and cooperation among national government agencies, education authorities and local stakeholders.

For Taachasis, the continued push for funding represented another stage in the effort to realise the original vision for the land.

Tiren's account places emphasis on the contributions of the original trustees and community elders, while also acknowledging the roles played by subsequent leaders and education officials.

The story is therefore one of cumulative effort rather than the work of a single individual or administration.

Prof. Phylis Bartoo and the institution's development

Prof. Phylis Bartoo has also been associated with the institution's development and launch, according to the account provided by Tiren.

Her involvement represents another chapter in the process of transforming the original college vision into an educational facility.

The development of the institution has depended on the combined efforts of those who first envisioned the project, leaders who supported it through funding and planning, and education officials who helped advance its implementation.

The long period between the original vision and the current milestone highlights the time and coordination often required to establish educational infrastructure.

For residents, the development has particular significance because the land's proposed public use was intended to create lasting benefits for the community.

The institution's emergence also places Taachasis within the wider conversation about the expansion of technical and vocational education in Kenya.

Such institutions are intended to provide learners with practical skills and training that can support employment, entrepreneurship and economic development.

The launch of the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, is therefore expected to draw attention to the educational opportunities that the institution is intended to provide.

From polo grounds to an educational hub

Today, Taachasis is associated with three important educational institutions: Taachasis Primary School, Taachasis Girls' Senior School and the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus.

Their presence reflects the gradual transformation of the area and the continued implementation of the vision to establish public facilities on the land.

The former polo grounds, once primarily associated with sporting activities, have become part of an educational landscape serving the surrounding community.

The institutions represent different stages of the education system, from primary learning and secondary education to technical and vocational training.

This combination offers the potential to strengthen the area's educational infrastructure and increase access to different learning pathways.

For young people in Moiben and neighbouring areas, technical and vocational education can provide opportunities to acquire practical competencies relevant to different occupations and industries.

The Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, is particularly significant in the context of Kenya's broader efforts to expand technical training and equip young people with skills relevant to the labour market.

The institution's launch is consequently an opportunity to focus on how educational facilities can support local development, widen access to training and contribute to the region's economic prospects.

However, the realisation of these benefits will depend on the institution's capacity, available training programmes, staffing, equipment and access for learners.

The history of Taachasis provides the background to the establishment of the campus, while its future impact will depend on how effectively the institution serves students and the wider community.

The continuing question of land ownership and public purpose

Despite the progress made in establishing educational institutions, the history of Taachasis remains closely linked to questions concerning land ownership and the protection of property intended for public development.

Tiren's account highlights concerns about attempts to treat portions of the land as private property or subdivide them.

For residents who have supported the educational vision, protecting the land's intended use remains an important consideration.

Land disputes can have significant implications for public projects, particularly when disagreements affect ownership documentation, institutional planning or the availability of space for future facilities.

The history of Taachasis illustrates why transparent land records, clear documentation and adherence to the law are important in securing the future of public institutions.

It also underlines the need for decisions concerning community land and public facilities to be handled through appropriate legal and administrative processes.

As the campus moves into its next phase, questions surrounding the status of the relevant parcels and the boundaries of land allocated to different institutions remain important matters for verification by the responsible authorities.

The community's longstanding interest in the land also highlights the importance of ensuring that development decisions take into account the intended public benefits and the views of affected residents.

For Taachasis, the challenge is to protect the gains already made while ensuring that future decisions support the sustainable development of the area.

President Ruto's visit marks another milestone

President William Ruto's planned official launch of the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, represents a significant moment in the continuing history of Taachasis.

The occasion brings renewed attention to an institution whose development, according to Tiren's account, has been shaped by the contributions of trustees, community elders, politicians and education officials over several decades.

It also offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of technical and vocational education in expanding opportunities for young people.

The presidential visit is expected to place the campus in the spotlight and draw attention to the role of education in regional development.

For residents, however, the milestone carries a history that extends far beyond the event itself.

It recalls the early vision of the trustees and elders, the establishment of Taachasis Primary School, the development of girls' secondary education, the college proposal and the subsequent efforts to secure resources for the institution.

Each phase contributed to the gradual transformation of the grounds.

The story also reflects the challenges associated with turning community aspirations into functioning public facilities, particularly where land documentation, ownership disputes and funding delays are involved.

As the campus prepares to enter this new chapter, the history of the project serves as a reminder that major public institutions are often built through the contributions of many people over extended periods.

A legacy built across generations

The history of Taachasis cannot be attributed to one leader or one administration alone.

The original trustees and community elders helped establish the vision for public development. Subsequent political leaders supported the creation of schools and the proposed college, while education officials and government funding contributed to the institution's continued development.

Community members also played a role by participating in discussions over the land's future and pressing for the intended public facilities to be protected.

According to Tiren, these contributions collectively helped sustain the vision despite the difficulties encountered along the way.

The transformation of the former Sergoit Polo Club grounds into an area associated with schools and technical training represents an important chapter in Moiben's development history.

It demonstrates how land can acquire a new role as the needs and aspirations of a community change over time.

The establishment of educational institutions also creates a responsibility to protect the facilities, maintain the infrastructure and ensure that learners benefit from the opportunities they are intended to provide.

The next phase of Taachasis' story will therefore depend not only on the launch of the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, but also on the institution's ability to deliver quality training and contribute meaningfully to the surrounding community.

Welcome to Moiben

As Taachasis prepares to welcome President William Samoei Ruto, the community has an opportunity to reflect on the journey from the former polo grounds to an area that now hosts several educational institutions.

The occasion brings together the past and the future: the vision of the original trustees and elders, the work of successive political leaders, the contribution of education officials and the aspirations of young people seeking opportunities through education and skills training.

For former Moiben MP Silas Tiren, the story is one of perseverance, community involvement and the continued pursuit of a vision that began long before the current milestone.

The history of Taachasis also underscores the importance of preserving the intended public purpose of the land and ensuring that the benefits of development extend to future generations.

As the Kenya School of TVET, Moiben Campus, enters a new chapter, the hope is that the institution will expand access to technical education, support skills development and contribute to the social and economic development of Moiben and the wider Uasin Gishu region.

From Sergoit Polo Club to a centre of education and development, Taachasis stands as a reminder of the long journey that can lie behind the establishment of a public institution.

As President Ruto visits Moiben, the community's message is clear: the milestone is an opportunity to celebrate the work already undertaken, recognise the people who contributed to the journey and renew the commitment to protecting and developing the land for the benefit of present and future generations.