Ethics and Anti-corruption Forum

Moi University student’s engage in ethics and anti-corruptionefforts in a forum held at students center yesterday with the title Ethics andanti-corruption efforts in society.

STUDENTS LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THE GUEST SPEAKER

Yesterday the students of The Ethics and Integrity Club held a long discussion forum over the negative effects of corruption and the possible actions they can take to deal with the corruption menace. The venue was opened officially by Justin Safari, the MUSO secretary general at 9 Am. Several leaders of various clubs and capacities were in attendance discussing how well students can help in the fight against corruption in society. Among them was Juma Omondi, the MUSO chair who said “I want appreciate the efforts of the club in calling for this forum. Corruption is a big problem in Kenya and it needs every one of us to contribute in the fight.  I will organize for a similar forum in  which every MUSO leader whom we  elected is going to tell us their development agendas and also will ask the students to ask them any question they may be having in regard to their performance.” David Musila, Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission were the guest of honor who also asked the students to vigilant over their government. He said “corruption is big elephant in Kenya. The EACC cannot fight alone as the commission contains barely 300 commissioners. These number is so small to guard the over 40 million Kenyans. We urge you young people to join us in the fight against corruption. Lead by example and whenever you see somebody taking corruption, please report to the nearest anti-corruption offices.”

Corruption is big problem in Kenya. Over half of the government budget goes to corruption; this money can be utilized well in projects that can help the nation. Every citizen has a right to question and possibly report to court any leader they find unfit because of poor public spending.

Field trip set on 30th April

Taking advantage of the blackout the third year students too half of their day to discuss the delayed filed trip.

IS media class rep Reuben Wanyama calling for unity.

The students were supposed to have practical class in the computer lab but they were failed by the absence of electricity.  The say an idle mind is the devils workshop took the better part of their day. The students gathered at the schools grounds discussing the issue of their delayed filed trip. The delayed filed trip has lead to divisions among the students and a source who sort for anonymity revealed that the division is not only among students but also among the lecturers.  Speaking at the venue, the class representative of the media class for the IS students Mr. Wanyama said “we are experiencing division amongst  ourselves, the superiority and inferiority complex will further delay our field trip.”  Mr. Wanyama asked for unity among the classes so that together they can push for the field trip agenda. “I urge the class representative of the LIS and RAM classes to come and join us hands to fight for the tour. If the class representative is not active then give us an activist so that we can push for the agenda. Our class representative is sleepy and has said nothing about the trip. ”The students agreed anonymously that they are going for the trip on 30^th April. Lead by the media and publishing class reps were annoyed and wanted the class representative of IS to address the issue. When we reached to the class representative of the IS class he had no comment to make about the claims.

Activist calls for activism to push for the field trip agenda.

The field trip issue has taken another turn. Last week the class representatives met for a meeting with the heads of departments to discuss the issue but the meeting ended with no clear resolution. The members were divided as those students of IT wanted to go for the trip on their own while the others be grouped together. The main question of concern is whey the splitting yet they are students of the same class?

Riot Aftermath; Cleaners at work

Photo showing University compound cleaners cleaning the academic highway

The school cleaners had a hard time cleaning up the mess by the students that were witnessed on Sunday following g the death of one of their comrades who was raped then murdered in cold blood.

The violent protest by the students on the academic high way saw students use stones and all logs to bloke the road so that they could not allow the police from penetrating to pick the body of the deceased. Several logs were thrown all over the compound and others accumulating along the academic highway. The students also set a blaze on one of the police vehicles burning it down beyond repair. The university compound cleaners had hard time cleaning up the mess that was caused by the students forcing them to use water to scratch the academic highway. The cleaners spend the first half of the day scratching the academic highway. Speaking at the scene where the vehicle was burnt, Joshua Kemoi, a cleaner said “we have spent all our time cleaning up the compound just because of insecurity that resulted to a dirt compound. We hope and pray such an incident won’t happen again.”

Protests by students in the university have been witnessed severally there before but the protests of this time round ware very violent than they have been there before. The students were unhappy by the incident and asked the administrators to beef up security in the school compound.

Part Two of Rioting

Another day for rioting by the students of Moi University main campus following the demise of one of their comrades.

Following a riot by students in Moi University that were witnessed yesterday, today the administrators had a hard day to calm down the students. The students rioting started at 9 AM yesterday morning following the dead of one of their comrades a third year in the school of arts. The students were unhappy with  the way the administrators were tackling security and this lead to burning one of the police vehicles that had come to collect the body of their demised comrade.

Today the students gathered at the students centre demanding for an official address from the administrators of the institution. The vice Chancellor, professor Mibey had a hard time calming down the students. Professor Mibey said “I want to acknowledge that the institution under my administration has failed to secure the students who are staying outside the school. It was our mistake of admitting a large number of students more than what our accommodation capacity can hold. ” Speaking like an elderly father addressing his grandsons Mr. Mibey said “investigations have started and those culprits who murdered one of our students will be held accountable for their action. I urge all the students to remain calm as we wait for the forensic investigation. ” the students could not calm down and they had to go ahead with what they had planned, rioting all over the campus.

The chancellor had to call for another meeting with the student’s leaders and students activists lead by Mubaruq Mohammed a third year student in the school of information science. In the meeting the vice chancellor gave the student two options that their leaders had to choose, they either calm down the students or they will go home. The vice chancellor gave them two hours to calm the students before he could make a decision that will impact on the life and future of every student. Closing the institution without any prior notice had implication of delay on the syllabus and consequently long stay in the university.  

Time for serious business.

It is the middle of the semester and the number of students going to the library has increased drastically. According to the security personnel at the entrance to the library the number of students has increased from as less as 150 to over 500 students utilising the library every day. He said, “During the CATS time and the examination time the number increases tremendously”.  The number of students who visit the library to satisfy their academic thirst is likely to be higher as from now till the end of the semester. In fact at such a time there are very high chances that you will miss a chair if you go to the library. The demand for reading becomes high than what the library can support. At such a time lights in the hostels are most likely to be switched of, if at all they have to be, late in the night as late as 2 am. Others will wake up very early as early as 4 am to suck from the breasts of knowledge.

Poor reading culture in the African continent is one of the reasons why we are ever a developing nation. Students only engage in serious studies when there is an exam or a CAT. Group discussions are only carried out when the students are given an assignment. Those who read they only read for the sake of the exams and not to increase their knowledge.

We still have a long way to go as Africans in terms of developing a reading culture among the intellects and academicians.  We need to develop and sustain a culture where people read even when they are not under pressure to do so.  Unless we develop a reading culture our universities and institutions of learning will remain like the towers of Babel charged with the responsibility of pumping knowledge to the students.

Electricity Menace

Blackout is a common phenomenon for those students who stay in the hostels. it has become a routine that at one point at night some hostel must be in a blackout. the problem has been there since time immemorial. The hostel administration comes up with a temporal solution that restores the power for some time and then the series continues again. This is what I call the game of the ostrich; hiding the head in the sand when there is danger and assuming that the danger is gone.Nobody cares about the academics of the students who suffer severally from the blackout menace.  The greatest tragedy in Africa is to find a system of leadership that is dedicated to performance. The problem can only be solved by provision of permanent solution to the problem. We cannot keep on singing of power blackouts every now and again like angry mongrels who have no sense of direction. I believe its the dog that wags the tail and not vice versa. Administrators should provide a permanent solution to the problem.

Field Trip

Today at two pm the third year school of information sciences students specializing in media during their class in the publishing laboratory could not hold on their anger over the delayed field trip.

The students were unhappy over the issue of field trip which they paid for one year ago. The students have raised the issue to their class representative who has not taken their grievances serious to the head of filed trip department. It took the intervention of the class representative Mr. Reuben to calm down the class as he went to sort out the issue with the HOD. Unfortunately the HOD was not around and it had to take the intervention of madam Philippine to intervene and calm down her fellow students. Phillipine said "The issue about your trip has been brought to my attention as the MUSISSA treasurer am going to talk to the relevant authorities and bring you a report over the issue next week on Monday."

The history of delayed field trips has become a phenomenon where the students have to pay first for a trip which they are supposed to go in their second year. Last year, under similar circumstances with the current fourth years, the HOD of field trips when faced with the students cited the reasons for delay in field trips as solely on the students. He said that there are students who delay in paying their fees such that the trip cannot be scheduled before all the students pay. Because of this reason, the department recommended for filed trips in their third year at the beginning of the first semester.

Procrastination is a characteristic of failure. Delayed justice is denied justice. At the beginning of every semester students are asked to pay their fees in full before accessing any school services. Why can the school implement the same regulations; students receive services as soon as they pay for them.

Change still a dilemma

The demand for change in Moi University is an issue that a true democrat and a believer of change has to be concerned about. Its very discouraging to imagine that over twenty seven years down the line since Moi University students Association was initiated still we  cannot manage to purchase a public address system of our own. Over years the students leaders who have been elected to the leadership helm have allowed their minds to be stigmatized and corrupted to the extent that whenever they think of a public function their mind is set by default to think of the Zungu Sounds. I have nothing personal against Zungu and I really wish him well in his businesses but from my class of economics it could be cheaper purchasing our own P.A other than just renting. I do agree with the national perspective and the revolutionary aspect of the Kenyan leadership shifting to the young men and women but in this case I differ with the perception. We cannot be proud of young leaders yet we cannot  see any change aspect from our leaders and in this case we are living testimonies of a failing young leadership. Lets not play the politics of the ostrich hiding the head in the sand and assuming the danger is gone. We all have a responsibility in contribution to the development agenda of our institution.