- “These unions are too many, we don’t even know who can help us when we have issues as students,” said an official of one of the students unions.
- “Most of them are nowhere within campus to defend students, they are always accompanying politicians to rallies,” said a student.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
A section of students from different universities want the student unions disbanded.
They said the unions are being used for political gain instead of representing university students.
The number of university students’ organisations has been on the rise for the last two years.
The unions range from individual student bodies, county and region based organisations, to ethnic-driven varieties.
It is revealed that most of the unions are owned and run by politicians who are termed ‘union patrons.’
Their main objective would be voicing the needs of university students but that’s not the case.
For instance, Kenya University Students Association’s patron Allan Chesang’ is aspiring to be Trans Nzoia senator.
KUSA has had clashes with the students’ body at Kenyatta University because of its branding.
The leadership body at KU is also titled KUSA, Kenyatta University Students Association.
Nandi University Students Association’s patron, Antipas Tirop, is also Nandi’s gubernatorial aspirant.
Kenya Universities Students Organisation’ patron, Agnes Kagure, is eyeing Nairobi gubernatorial seat.
An official of KUSA called for harmonised operations among unions.
The official said that a centralised union or leadership system will help address university students’ grievances.
“These unions are too many, we don’t even know who can help us when we have issues as students,” the official told the Star in a phone interview on Tuesday.
When the university of Nairobi management increased tuition and accommodation fees, the students said they were helpless.
However, KUSO joined efforts with Embakasi East MP and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and moved to block the increment in parliament and in court.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union also joined the call to suspend fee increment.
Months later, the High Court stopped UoN management from implementing new fees.
In his ruling, Justice Anthony Mrima said there was no stakeholder engagement for the funding method.
KUSO chairman Anthony Manyara said all the county led unions are mushrooms of KUSO.
Manyara added that KUSO management is mandated to approve the formation of new unions.
"At the national level its only KUSO that represents university students," Manyara told the Star in a phone interview on Tuesday.
He also clarified that county based unions are meant to allow university students apply for scholarships and bursaries.
"Various counties have formed unions especially during this campaign period, its not bad but I want it to be procedural," Manyara said.
The KUSO chairman said the unions allow students to interact with their county leaders and breed themselves for national politics.
Elvis Kimaru a student at UoN also called for the disbandment of the numerous numbers of unions.
Kimaru said issues affecting university students go way past politics.
He added that instead of representing the students who elect them, most leaders have turned into politicians’ bodyguards.
“Most of them are nowhere within campus to defend students, they are always accompanying politicians to rallies,” Kimaru said.
He highlighted the recent increase in number of students committing suicide and struggling with mental health.
“I have not seen any student leader talking about very serious things affecting us, they are all quiet. They are busy securing their slots for general elections,” Kimaru said.
The student also called for the formation of a new union that will work with universal suffrage in elections system.
“I wish that all these organisations are disbanded and have one unified campus students’ union” he added.
The current delegates’ election system in universities has been accused of producing the current leaders who have been termed unreliable.
The Duale Bill which was first implemented in universities in 2016 December has received lots of backlash.
Lawmakers backed the return of the system where they directly elect their leaders.
A report by the National Assembly education committee, recommended university elections be amended from the delegate system to the popular vote.
However, this will be a disappointment for vice chancellors who support delegates voting system for the sake of peace in institutions.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)