A CALLOUS GOVERNMENT DEBILITISING PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

                                                               The University Academic Staff Union and Kenya University Staff Union issued a fresh strike ultimatum six days ago after the government failed to honour the return-to-work formula signed on September 26,2024.

The Unions have faulted the government,accusing it of negligence despite initially promising to fulfil their demands.Labour Secretary Dr Alfred Mutual and Higher Education Ps Dr Beatrice Inyangala flanked by KUSU Secretary General Dr Charles Mukhwaya and his counterpart UASU Dr Constantine Wasonga signed a return-to-work arrangements on September 26,2024.

The government had struck a sh2.4B deal with the Unions.The government was also committed to providing sh 800 million to its original offer of sh1.6B.The workers settled for a salary rise between 7 and 10 percent and graduated across job groups.Were all these empty promises that have not been fulfilled by the government?

The initial strike crippled down the operations of public universities and a lot of time was wasted during the protest which at the end hatched empty promises.This strike looms barely  three weeks after they signed up for a return-to-work formula which never became fruitful and now as the clock ticks to the expiry of the 7 day strike notice issued six days ago,what is the fate of the university education since it's barely four weeks to the end of the semester exams.
 
This is alarming on the priorities of the Kenya Kwanza administration.It has been a norm that the government wait until a crisis strike for them to intervene and later provide empty promises that never get fulfilled.In my opinion,the government should therefore provide a solution before a crisis.The government should fulfil her promises which they gave the lecturers to have a normalcy in the operations of public universities.

There are very many students who were obliged to have joined public universities in September but their aspirations were halted due to high cost of living and inability to pay school fees in the universities because of the implications of new funding model.A  first year student whose identity cannot be disclosed narrated his story like this,"I was placed in wrong band that doesn't reflect my economic background thereby ditching my determination to join Kisii University since I'm am currently unable to pay school fees.I'm requesting the government and stakeholders to bring back the old funding model to enable students from poor background to access education."

The committee that was responsible to look into the matter has not implemented the proposals they came out with on how better the capitation can be done to ensure that all students are able to access education in Kenya.

Higher Education Loans Board has also delayed disbursement of upkeep funds to the students.With the increased cost of living and lack of upkeep pushes the students to look for other alternatives to get money inorder to survive.This therefore makes the lives of comrades very difficult.

The comrades are really suffering in campus since even the upkeep funds cannot cater for the needs of the students in campus for even a month and a semester goes for three months.For instance,a student getting sh16,000 as upkeep from Higher Education Loans Board needs to pay rent,pay part of school fees with same money and there are also daily expenses.There are also projects and assignments that the student undertake with this money.Some students also decides to pay school fees with the money and ends up suffering for rest of the semester because the student is determined to do the final exam without fail.The comrades are really suffering and they are the ones who should be a priority to the government.The government should even increase the funds to an amount that reflects the economic situation of this country.

Comments

Clinton Otieno said…
Drop your comments downhere
October 21, 2024 at 8:01 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The change in weather patterns and conditions has to a larger extent affected the lives and livelihood of people ranging from the Healt Sector,and even to agriculture which is the backbone of most countries economy.  The toll that climate change has taken in agriculture is nearly uncalculated thereby risking our food security.Farmers are now struggling to keep up with shifting weather and increasing unpredictable supply of water and livestock foods. For exa mple, the above is a livestock farmer who narrates his dilemma as a result of unpredictable weather conditions. He is therefore forced to buy nappier grass to feed his cows during extreme dry season which not only increasing cost but also reducing the profits that he would have received. The above is an abandoned fish pond in Kisii whose owner got alot of losses as a result extreme drought this year.He later bought fingerlings expensively into this fish pond which was swept away by flash floods as a result of El Nino rains. Acco...
Read more

Etago empowerment program in disarray after 45 Members of County Assembly stage Boycott

Image
All the 45 Members of Kisii County Assembly Boycotted the empowerment program at Etago Kisii County with only three nominated MCA`s in attendance. Gusii region has experienced an intense political climate in recent months driven by leadership rivalries and political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections. South Mugirango Member of Parliament and National Assembly Chief Whip Silvanus Osoro delivered a pointed speech during an empowerment event at Etago in Kisii County. The event was attended by the Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.He criticised the opposition leaders which he claims to lack effective strategies.The event becomes a strategy to strengthen political alliances in the region to counter the Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Okengo Matiangi`s influence in the region. The Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Okengo Matiangi has recently emerged as a significant political figure in Gusii region with indications of possible presidential bid in 2027 polls...
Read more

Activist Mwangi and Atuhaure reaveal a shocking ordeal in Tanzania

Image
On June 2, 2025, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer and journalist Agather Atuhaire publicly recounted harrowing experiences during their detention in Tanzania, following their arrest in May while attending the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.  They detailed severe mistreatment during their detention. Mwangi reported being subjected to torture, including being forced to strip naked and enduring physical abuse. He also alleged that Atuhaire was sexually assaulted by Tanzanian security personnel. Atuhaire corroborated these claims, stating that she was blindfolded, violently stripped, and raped by individuals in plain clothes. She further described being smeared with excrement and beaten to the point where she could no longer walk.   The activists' revelations have intensified calls for investigations into their treatment. Amnesty International has urged Tanzanian authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial inves...
Read more