Wednesday, October 10, 2012

opinionated: This is what happened of our leaders


Just like our typical Kenyan leaders the CUC leaders promised us heaven which they are yet or better still may not deliver. I presume as they started receiving their paychecks  they forgot their promises and instead they found a way to invest their money hoping they will be the next "Babu Owino".

Kenyans needs enterprising young Kenyans and so I commend this people in trying to make their lives better. Kenyan does not need a crop of leaders who do not deliver on their promises.

While I value Rosemary Wairimu's wish to sensitize students about overloading of taxes in Ndagani,I find the matter trivial compared to real  issues affecting students. The leaders should direct their energies to more worthy causes.

Joyce Mukami the student welfare director is in a deep slumber, otherwise how can she not see the mess in the mess. I will commend her for the acquisition of the plastic cups in the mess(pun intended). We expect with the rising numbers of students in the institution the catering department should acquire more cutlery instead it is inadequately equipped. This is the reason for flourishing hotel business around the university.

I believe many will agree that Richard Kamau aka Kamaa's score against the other leaders will be impressive. Unlike other leaders Kamaa's visible and approachable. Last year Kamaa was able to apprehend some suspects believed to have stealing from students.  He has been able to curb crime a feat that has never been achieved by any former non residents representative.

Gideon Osamong's request to have a piece of shamba given to the student's council  is now but we are not yet to see sukuma wiki going at two bob. The piece of shamba at the airstrip is green. Hopefully next Mr Sukuma will clarify  about the price of Sukuma.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Student suspended for criticizing Varsity on social media

A student from Meru University college was suspended for one year and forcefully evicted from the institution for using social media to point out the shortcomings of the institution. According to journalist and blogger Dennis Itumbi who broke out the story on twitter, Cyprian Nyakundi was summoned by the University disciplinary committee on 18th of September to answer charges of tarnishing the image of the university through social media.

Nyakundi told Itumbi that during the committee hearings he maintained that he had posted the alleged social media updates. He also pointed out to Itumbi that he had updated about the condition of life at the university. In his facebook and twitter updates he had complained about the condition of the road to Nchiru town and unavailability and inadequate stocking of books at the library among others. 

On Friday 5th Nyakundi received three letters from the administration. Among them was a warning letter and the others announcing his one year suspension from the institution. All the three letters were signed by the deputy principal Professor Gitonga N. Mburugu. The last letter even advised him to appeal the decision within fourteen days.

By the time of going to press the matter was trending on twitter with the hashtag  #LetNyakundiTweet. Many of the Kenyans on twitter expressed displeasure on how Nyakundi had been treated. Kinyanjui Njonjo wrote "Stopping the education of a student for saying the truth is unfair". Itumbi who was the first to tweet about the issue even wrote a  blog post on his website and even shared the letters sent to Nyakundi.

Ironically the university is a constituent college of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology which is renowned in information technology. Also in another twist the University has an account on twitter. We shall only wait and see if the campaign on the social media will force the University to rescind their decision to suspend the student.