Kenya: Politicians Should Keep Off University of Nairobi Student Leaders’ Elections
The University of Nairobi is a renowned East Africa’s largest public University with a capacity of over 22,000 students. Situated at the heart of the Nairobi city, the university has several policy frameworks and introduced module 2 degrees to cope with the growing demand of higher education in Kenya. Being a large institution, the intake is vast compared to other public universities.
Universities are a reflection of the social and political society in which they are located. University of Nairobi is no exception. This is evident in the election nightmares the institution has experienced. In the 2010 elections, fracas marred the student’s elections. The elections were aborted after a fiercely contested election, a reproduction of the 2007 presidential elections that gave birth to post election violence in the country with 1500 deaths and over 600,000 persons displaced from their homes to become what are now known as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). These elections were characterized by violence that has never been witnessed before with cases of rigging, vote buying, bullying, threats and what was seen as interference by politicians. The union, Students of Nairobi University (SONU) was disbanded for a year by the Senate of the institution following the chaos. The institution had been paralyzed by the rampage and consequently closed down indefinitely for investigations. The student’s body is charged with the welfare of the students at the University.
A year earlier, in March 2009, it was Kenyatta University, also in Nairobi, which closed down after students’ protest over the set deadline for examination registration. The incidents resulted in one student dead and serious destruction to university property. Student unrest and rioting, leading to closure of several campuses. Kenya is but one of the many African countries that have had to deal with university student unrest. South Africa and Nigeria, among others, have also had their fair share in recent years. Student unrest is of course not a new phenomenon in Africa; it goes back to the late 1960’s and 1970’s, at the time when universities were being established following independence from Europe. Nevertheless the campus environment today is very different from that a few decades ago.
Such unrests occur in other regions of the world as well – in particular Asia and Latin America, but even Europe. The long term impact of student unrest on Africa is particularly disturbing. African universities, after years of neglect and under-funding, are undergoing a major revitalization process with international support.
One may ask, what is it in for the student’s leaders considering the lengths they go in order to secure the title of Campus leader? Student leaders earn a salary, are housed in special rooms that are not only larger but have television sets and in some cases satellite television. They are given free meals and attend numerous seminars and conferences where they earn allowances. These allowances can amount to Sh30, 000 to Sh40, 000 in a month
Friday May 20 2011 is slated for the fresh elections of Students leaders of the University of Nairobi (UON). As the students await the said date to elect their leaders, tell tale signs are observed in the run up of the elections. The student fraternity is expected to elect leaders who will articulate the student’s needs, interests as well as a platform to address national issues.
However as the election date draws near, cases of voter bribery have been noted. For instance, on Monday 16 May, an aspiring candidate for the post of chairman gave Ksh. 500 to the students at a popular buying area called Club 36 in Main campus. The money that has been poured on the ground is to influence voters and the candidate promised more in the final days of the campaign period. This is worrying as it is alleged that a drug baron and senior politicians are behind the candidate. It raises several questions such as what the student/candidate has or will offer in exchange for the “support”. Could it be provide a ready market for the drugs? The students backing when the drug barons are implicated in a drug syndicate or any scam?
Another observation is that, tribal politics is brewing. This comes at a time that the nation is trying to arrest. Interestingly, there are ‘ghost’ candidates especially for the seat of chairman. This is aimed at splitting votes of particular tribes. Some candidates claim that their tribe is superior to others and that being from that tribe is a blessing and for that they ought to be rewarded with the seats they are vying for at the expanse of other candidates.
Goonmanship/Goonism, a term used by the student fraternity to describe a vigilante wing of student mainly male, well built who volunteer to do the dirty work that a student politician would do.They are mainly used for intimidation, force ,coercion as well as use of violence against opponent candidates on behalf of the said vying student leader.They behave like body guards as well as a cheering/booing squad depending on the situation at hand is also a worrying trend. The goons are either students or non students who are hired by the aspiring candidates for purposes of security as well as intimidation of the other candidates. The goons ensure that in each campus they are strategically placed before, during and after elections. They use coercion, intimidation or even in other cases force to guard and perpetuate the selfish interests of their preferred candidate. For instance in upper Kabete, a constituent campus of the University of Nairobi a goon slashed a fellow student because he was merely chanting the name of a certain aspirant for the position of chairmanship.
As the student fraternity of University of Nairobi go to the polls this Friday, Kenya and possibly the world will be watching to see how the students of the largest public University in East Africa will carry themselves during and after the elections. Thus it is upon the students to not only vote with sobriety but also to elect leaders with good, strong ethical values and credible background. This is because the chosen leaders, their conduct and ethics will be assumed replica of the entire student body. Africa right now needs vibrant and dynamic universities producing graduates and undertaking research to assist in the continent’s much-needed development drive. The University and the country can not afford the set-backs caused by campus destruction and closures.