Tom Mboya University College (TMUC) can be traced to the Maseno University Learning Centre that was set up in Homa Bay town on 7th September 2010. By mid-2014, the centre had grown to be Maseno University campus with 1,087 students.
Following a consultative meeting between the County Government of Homa Bay and Maseno University, an idea to establish a University College in the county was hatched with objective of increasing access to university education and taking education closer to the people.

It was then decided that the university be named after the late Honourable Thomas Joseph Mboya, MP.
On 2nd March 2015, an Ad-hoc committee made up of officials from the County Government of Homa Bay and Maseno University was set up to steer registration of Tom Mboya University College through Maseno University as a mentoring institution.
Upon establishment through Legal Notice No. 55 in the Kenya Gazette Supplement No 45 of 8th April 2016, the University College started offering diploma and degree programmes anchored on those undertaken at the Maseno University and Certificate programmes offered at the Homa Bay Agricultural Training Centre (ATC).