The University was founded through Harambee spirit on 5th January, 1972, as Western College of Arts and Applied Sciences (WECO) under the stewardship of .the former fiery MP, Masinde Muliro. As chairman of the project executive committee, Muliro worked with Prof. Reuben J. Olembo (then Head, Department of Botany University of Nairobi) as secretary.

The establishment of the College was in response to the needs of the people of Western province to have a College which would provide a training ground for technical manpower requirements for the province and the nation. The College was also expected to inculcate a sense of self-help and self-reliance among its students and facilitate active participation of youth in national development

The first batch of 24 students who were drawn from all parts of the country, joined on March 24, 1977, and enrolled for certificate and diploma in courses, which included mechanical and motor vehicle, electrical, electronic, agriculture, water, building, architecture, accounting, FINANCE etc. In December 2002, WECO became WUCST (Western University College of Science and Technology) after being elevated to a Constituent College of Moi University. Early 2007, President Kibaki elevated WUCST to a full university by assenting to a Bill which also changed the name to MMUST