Kenya is perpetually in electioneering mode and the unfortunate events at Maseno University early Thursday morning can prove this.
It is alleged that Maseno University students descended on the institution’s administration block and burnt it down. This was in defiance of what has been termed as a case of the administration’s interference with student elections and missing marks for a number of students.
This is yet to be confirmed.
Posted by Shadrack Kimutai on Thursday, 8 October 2015
Following the fire, tension is palpable in Kisumu with police officers at the scene confirming that almost the entire administration block of the university was razed down.
With suspicion that students may have committed the offence, Twitter was awash with messages condemning the act.
Campus Politics should NOT lead to what just happened in Maseno University this morning!
— Babu Owino (@Babu_Owino) October 8, 2015
Naivety is when maseno university students blow up admin block where their transcripts are kept.
— lameck ogega (@LOgega) October 8, 2015
Some of those at the university tweeted the images which showed that the inferno would take a miracle to put out.
Maseno university admin block burnt down to ashes @citizentvkenya @KTNKenya @ntvkenya @RobertAlai pic.twitter.com/fAJemHZgVk — collins kes (@collokes) October 8, 2015
Fears of documents being lost as they are mostly in hard copy are also rife.
Maseno university administration block is burning. Who are the perpetrators of this hideous act. What next with all hard copy records burnt
— Florence Odhiambo (@FlossieOdhiambo) October 8, 2015
Some lone voices also implied that the arson would have been due to bad politics at the university.
The case of Maseno University is an isolated one.The administration intereferred with Student politics by imposing leadership… — Protus wekulo jay (@ProtusWekulo) October 8, 2015
Two weeks ago, the university’s the Citizens against Violence (CAVI) held a meeting on the importance of a transparent and peaceful Students Organization of Maseno University (SOMU) election this year. The meeting was attended by Prof Mary Kipsat, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) academics and students welfare, Olela Edward the dean of students and SOMU. Those seeking elective posts proposed possible ways to ensure a free, fair and peaceful SOMU election but this may have aborted with this morning’s events.
Previously, SOMU elections were conducted in two days. On day one, health, sports security directors and the hall congress would be elected. The executive which includes presidents, secretary general, finance secretary were elected the following day.
With the new election schedule, all these persons were to be elected in one day. The team also proposed conducting the elections according to student departments for easy identification and to avoid voting more than once.
And with this failure, is the generation that is supposed to hold public office practicing what has been perfected by those in power as the best way to get to office?
It seems like Kenya is way behind on governance whether in public office or at the institutions of higher learning where violence, instead of dialogue, seems to take the upper hand in disagreement over ‘political’ cases.
maseno university fire is so hurting, they hav always had problems but burning the admin block is such a stupid act
— OGWE JOEL (@JoelOduor) October 8, 2015
Maseno University students are so dumb. Mtachomaje administration block halafu muexpect kurudi back to campus in a month time? Never! — Ibrahim Morowa (@iMorowa) October 8, 2015
