Egerton Comrades Strike over Attempt to Defer 2000 Students

Egerton comrades havesaid enough is enough to the unbearable terms that the administration has beenshoving down their throats. Yesterday they took part in Kenya’s mostexhilarating no holds barred sport, which involves a Comrade’s Power haka,pelting of stones on helpless buildings and sprinting when the boys in bluemake an appearance. Also, not forgetting to take selfies and videos for fellowunemployed youths.

Coincidentally, this comesonly two days after Maseno comrades ‘downed their tools’ and not more than amonth after JKUAT,KU and two other universities demonstrated. Is there a ‘stike-ghost’ flying aroundthe country making comrades feisty-horny?

Or do they have genuinegrievances? Apparently, Egerton has been on a fees scavenging frenzy. Theadministration has imposed additional fees ‘from the Milky Way and fatal deadlines.Any student who fails to settle their arrears within the limited time will notseat for exams and thus forcefully defer an entire year.

Based on just this one condition, about two thousand students were bound to get locked out of the approaching exams. At this point, it’s quite appalling that an entire force of Ph.D. holding dons would expect a hundred, let alone a thousand degree-searching and feisty youths to calmly watch this happen.

Yet that wasn’t the onlyissue why the students woke up on Tuesday guns blazing. According to an officialmemo circulated by the spirited EUSU student leaders led by Chairperson HenryMulyungi, the administration had utterly refused to address their grievances,which besides removal of the mandatory deferment based on finance registration includedreopening of the student portal and deferment of exams card system.

EUSU memo

Let’s back up a bit. Justthe other day, Egerton University made the headlines for having debts amountingto a freaking5 billion. Within this amount, the taxman demands 856 million in tax arrearsand a close confidant, Egerton University Sacco claims 431 million.

During the revelation ofthe financial crisis the institution is undergoing, the administration claimedthe significant cutback in the financial support by the government as the rootof their problems.

Evidently, the institutionis cash strained and would, by all means, possible attempt to raise money. I guessthat’s why it’s trying to grab the comrades by the balls; hiking fees andimposing deadlines for payment. But, those balls must be pretty hot. That whythe senate held a crisis meeting and agreed to indefinitely close theinstitution.

Late last year Egerton Vice-Chancellor,Prof Rose Mwonya was suspended amid accusations of corruption somersaults inprocurement, ghosts’ labor, and scholarships among others. Was this a witch-huntor is her ‘earthquakeness’ for sure milking the institution off the very fundsand resources needed to run it?

Even though she wasreinstated, you can’t help but wonder. These terms which suppress the common Egertoncomrade, are passed by her, while seated in her comfortable throne. Is this herdesperate attempts to redirect the burden to the students rather than enforceaccountability in the finance department?

Going back to myquestion, is there a ‘strike-ghost’ hovering around the country’s tertiary institutions?My guess is yes.

When the university amendmentbill, which stripped the influence and power of university leaders, was broughtinto power, the state thought they had solved the students-strike predicament.They did not. Rather, comrades felt like it was an attempt to silence theirvoices. A feisty spirit thus arose and ever since the number of strikes has increasedtremendously.

In this century where freedom is breaking news, daily news and advisory news, you can’t apply force or curtailment to quash the quests on people, especially young energetic people.

Give them what they want, a powerful channel through which their issues will be heard and solutions for them. Until then, Comrades Power will continue to resonate on the streets.