STUDENT UNIONS SHOULD ASSERT THEIR ROLE IN THE SOCIETY

Ernesto Che Guevara de la Serna who is probably The unquestionable most prominent revolutionary figure of the 21st century, was able to have himself legendised after his encounter with the modern world’s most authoritative symbol of communism, Cuban leader; Fidel Alejandro Castro. Fidel Castro is famed for his prominence during his days as a student leader at the University of Havana in 1940s where he studied law and graduated in 1950.Che Guevara and Castro’s focus was aimed at redeeming Cuba from the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista who was a puppet and dictator of American imperialism and other then enslaved states of Latin America. Although the first attempt to remove Batista was thwarted, Castro together with Che Guevara and the rest of the army (Marxists) managed to wrestle Batista from power and established a communist state of Cuba. It’s widely known that the majority of the leaders of the Cuban revolution were Castro’s university alumni colleagues.
In Indonesia it’s understood that through a student power protests, Dictator Mohammed Suharto relinquished the power he had held with an iron fist for a long time. Professor Horace Campbell of Syracuse University argues that the political leadership in Africa has been developed by morally weak leaders unlike the earlier objectives set by most of the African freedom heroes. Hence the political leadership in contemporary Africa especially Kenya has thus been criminalized. He therefore argues that the major challenge to upcoming leadership is to decriminalize the African leadership institutions. My understanding is that if any fruits have to be realized, then university and college students need to sensitize themselves be on the frontline in leading the student movement and join other civil society organizations to decriminalize our institutions.
The lesson from the Cuban revolution and Suharto exit from power teaches us that an opportunity of physical nearness of intellectual minds is a great resource that must be tapped for the purposes of transforming and recreating a criminal society to a great and popular leadership. Many modernists believe that the days of violent revolutions are long gone and thus revolutions can be realized through the ballot and not necessarily the bullet.
That brings the reason as to why our universities and other institutions of higher learning have a big responsibility to transform, recreate and organize our society as themed at the third national youth convention held in august in Nairobi this year. Students form such an important youth component in modern Kenya’s move towards good governance, agitation of freedom, justice, and equality.
Unfortunately the trend and significance of students and student unions like son and others have been pushed to the periphery of irrelevance because of well orchestrated plans to shut true leadership from running the affairs of student welfare. Student leadership has been compromised through short term favors so as to ensure that the leadership remains caged and focused on petty issues and highly prohibited from making contributions to advancement of democracy and good leadership at the national level. University student leaders have been reduced to manage crisis for embattled vice chancellors at the expense of the golden opportunity and platform to advance national reform agenda. the honored revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara once noted that
"Man really attains the state of complete humanity when he produces, without being forced by physical need to sell himself as a commodity.”
it is thus a trend that is not so new but its difficult to last in leadership for posterity with such tendencies.
It must be noted that the Kenyan youth is the main casualty and victim of bad governance, corruption, and tolerance of other forms of vices.
For example the grace period of repaying loan acquired through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has been reduced because the government is so much constrained to fund high education. That makes it compulsory for any graduate to start paying loan as soon as he/she completes the degree. Such pressures are resultant of the corrupt systems that even students themselves have taken a back seat in criticizing with fear and intimidation by the powers that be and their agents in form of student leaders who win elections through questionable means. The continued fear will hence catch up with you when you fall victim of the evils you tolerated.
Cyprian Nyamwamu;the executive director of national convention executive council(NCEC)notes that the corrupt minds in authority have intentions and have already captured some institutions that may descent against injustices such as churches, mosques and student unions. The University of Nairobi is no exception under this category.
It must be noted that studentship is a serious opportunity that has already mobilized intellectual minds that should be able to use such opportunity to transform the society and stand to be counted.
Student organizations like SONU have a reach history with the likes of Hon. Wanyiri Kihoro,Hon.James Orengo and the late Titus Adungosi whose contribution in the student leadership of this country speaks volumes and worthy to emulate and I will not be shy to also praise the leadership up to our time. Unfortunately of late the student leadership has become another slave of the criminalized society.
That is why there is no surprise that when we protested against the media bill, members of parliaments intention to rob Kenyans 1.4 billion shillings and even Anglo leasing, no student union or its leadership came to authoritatively identify with the cause. Students must wake up indeed otherwise history will judge them by their actions.

Fwamba NC Fwamba—
A designer and defender of human rights is a former vice chairman of SONU&Chairman of the students’ parliament 2003/2004

RAILA EJECTION AND LESSON TO KENYAN VOTERS

The ejection of ODM presidential hopeful Raila Odinga and his entourage from a hotel owned by a relative of president Kibaki was a primitive act that should not only be condemned but has no place in the modern civilization. It must be noted that whatever the reason was such an action reflected on how polarized our country is along tribal lines. we can remember Raila himself proved that he was not a tribalism when he declared ‘Kibaki tussah’ in 2002.But now its coming to a point where some people in this country believe that the seat of the president is their preserve and whoever else seeks it is an enemy who doesn’t deserve any hospitality even if he is paying for it.
It is shame if at all Raila’s ejection was as a result of a tall order from a senior family member of Hon. Mwai Kibaki as its being speculated.
Such primitive characters have not had an opportunity to learn consequences of such primitive actions. Many will remember, the Nazi holocaust, racial hatred, the infamous Rwanda genocide which resulted from hatred between Tutsis and Hutus and the scenario where celebrated author and lecturer Prof.Ngugi wa Thiong’o was ejected from an hotel in California purportedly meant for whites only .Those ignorant of history and ignorant of global political trends do not know repercussions of such actions. Its time for Kenyans as elections approach to teach such people a lesson through the ballot. It doesn’t matter whether such people win or not but a statement should be made by us denying them our votes and rethinking on any other alternative.
If president Kibaki supporters and relatives can show such manners to his opponents, then they stand warned that even their candidate since they have decided to own him should not campaign outside Nyeri or Central province in that matter. Such actions easily convince me that Kenyans need to wake up (Amkeni Wakenya). I have been watching so many things going on in the Kibaki camp for the last few months, and this proves how tribalistic some of these people are. It will be as you have witnessed in the last five years that when they say they have a government of national unity, only a few political leaders from other communities benefit while other great opportunities such as high profile appointments and government tenders go to one specific community. It is a sad affair. Our earlier intentions to support Kibaki should be re considered basing on the fact that many things have happened since. Its time for political realignment and we must only go where we are respected and recognized. Not where we are going to rubberstamp other peoples fortunes. We have less than 100 days to election and that means we need to make a decision that makes sense to us and our interests, especially the young people both in western province and other parts of the country. If Kibaki team will be such a group, well if not we will certainly decide. We should not be as cheap like our leaders of national stature who are benefiting at our expense and promising Kibaki that they will mobilize us to vote for him.
It is a known fact that our political leaders in western were well contented when Kibaki cancelled debts for coffee farmers and tea farmers but when he came to western province he dilly dallied about the plight of the sugar cane and maize farmers. Then the leaders celebrated. Its corruption, tribalism and compromise of a few minority to manipulate the poor uninformed majority. It must also be noted that when Kibaki went to western province to create districts and start foundations for markets, some lobby group of made up of people from his province came and launched some outfit in Kakamega and declared that all western province is for Kibaki.they hereby stand warned that should they risk to go back to kakamega, whoever they should blame is only themselves. That is the trend they have created including appointing a person of central province to be a coordinator for western province. We are certainly against this kind of behavior and we promise to use any necessary force to deal with them should they ever attempt to continue with these actions. They have taken us for granted because our political leaders like Kombo and Kituyi and moody have decided to auction luhyas on the stake.
How could the president come to western province, leave without addressing the sugar cane issue and these guys are still singing that the Kibaki has a development record? Does it make sense if he gives everything to central province and we celebrate by getting the left over, just like what the field Negro (slaves) used to eat after being beaten from morning to night. Am informed that a Mr.Njoroge is the coordinator for western for a Kibaki campaign group. As I write this am hereby informing all you guys who support Kibaki and belong to this yahoo group and you come from western to refuse that kind of arrangement. All our networks in western province should share this information. Let us not rubberstamp the benefits the ministers have gained at our expense. We wanted to learn them and we actually discovered what they are. We will call you for a meeting soon to deliberate on this. We will only support whoever will show value to us and also have space for us. This decision comes after a series of deliberations and evidence that the people campaigning for Kibaki are nothing but a bunch of self centered bunch of tribalists.we have a vision to save the future of our people and not through Mwai Kibaki…we will tell you who. Forward this message to other contacts both in Kenya and outside. We will call a meeting soon over this…our initial support of Kibaki was important because without which we wouldn’t have known some of the evils these people commit. It will be time to spill the beans. While Kituyi, Kombo, and Awori, Kirwa trade with Kibaki they get compromised and pretend to be representing us. Young people wake up and save our country from scavengers, both old and others living amongst us, don’t be used as rubberstamps .Let them campaign in their villages since they think they can go far on their own.
Because we are trying to save Kenya as they struggle to rape her.

FWAMBA NC FWAMBA