NOTE: The Great Kenyan writer-activist Ngugi Wa Thiongo's latest novel: The
Wizard of the Crow is a must-read to help you understand the craziness
unfolding not only in Kenya, but thruout Africa's
postslavery/postcolonial present.
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Monday, January 7, 2008

Kenyan Higher Education Comes to a Halt as Post-Election Violence
Continues
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By WACHIRA KIGOTHO

Nairobi, Kenya

Universities in Kenya have postponed their opening dates for fear that
students and academic staff might be caught up in the violence that has
hit the country following opposition leaders' claims that last month's
presidential elections were rigged.

The ministry of education has accepted the request of several
universities and colleges to push back their opening dates, which had
been scheduled for today or earlier, because of the post-election
violence, which has claimed more than 300 lives.

"In view of the prevailing circumstances, my ministry recognizes that
students are likely to be stranded before reaching their respective
campuses," said Kerega Mutahi, the education secretary.

"Such a situation is unacceptable to us as it is likely to cause anxiety
to the parents and suffering to the students," said Mr. Mutahi. He
stressed that no university in the country should be opened before
January 14 without the ministry's permission.

Paul Wainaina, a professor of educational philosophy at Kenyatta
University, said that by keeping campuses closed, universities were also
trying to prevent their students from getting involved in the fighting,
which is playing out along tribal lines. "The ongoing political anger has
taken ethnic dimensions, and universities would like the students to stay
away from the campuses to avoid internal conflicts," he said.

Olive Mwihaki Mugenda, vice chancellor of Kenyatta University, said new
opening dates would be announced when the country returned to normal. "We
have also canceled examinations that were scheduled to be held" this
week, Ms. Mugenda said.

Maseno University has asked its students to report to the campus on
January 14. Vice Chancellor Frederick Onyango said it was not safe for
students to start traveling in large numbers to western Kenya, where the
university is located. "Rival gangs are reported to be erecting illegal
roadblocks and harassing motorists and commuters, and we have considered
this situation could be dangerous to our students if they traveled," Mr.
Onyango told The Chronicle in a telephone interview.

Egerton and Moi Universities have suspended their openings indefinitely.
According to James Tuitoek, Egerton's vice chancellor, the continuing
violence has paralyzed transportation in many parts of the country. "It
is hard for students and staff to travel," Mr. Tuitoek said in a written
statement. He appealed to students not to be involved in the riots and
violence gripping the country.

At the University of Nairobi, officials fear that if the university opens
before peace is restored, students might join rival protesting groups in
the city. "We have postponed opening of the university indefinitely,
until peace is maintained," a senior academic administrator who spoke on
condition of anonymity told The Chronicle.

All campuses of Moi University will remain closed until further notice.
The university is located in Eldoret, Kenya, about 190 miles northwest of
Nairobi. The Eldoret area has seen some of the worst violence in the
fighting that erupted after the December 27 elections, including an
incident in which 50 people, most of them women and children, were burned
alive inside a church.

"The event is still fresh in people's minds here and we don't want such
an incident to happen in our campuses," a senior academic registrar at
Moi told The Chronicle in a telephone interview.

The fighting erupted soon after Kenya's president, Mwai Kibaki, claimed a
slim re-election victory that appeared suspicious to supporters of the
opposition leader, Raila Odinga, and some international observers.

The secretary of the Universities Academic Staff Union, Muga K'Olale, has
called on Mr. Kibaki to resign and pave the way for new presidential
polls. "The current political stalemate is likely to plunge the country
into a civil war, as Kenyan ethnic groups turned against each other," Mr.
K'Olale said.
Baba Ras Marcus write:
Fear people of going about their normal business is spreading across Kenya as is reported by the above article. This is only to show how destructive a few politicians can be to the poor masses of the people, when they are allowed to control power over the masses. Leadership should always come from the root of the tree, the bottom instead of the branches, the top. A tree that has not roots will not be able to produce any branches. African people at home and abroad should take what is happening in Kenya and other parts of Africa as a great lesson for drastic changes in Mama Africa. The masses of the African people must take away the control of power from the greedy and ambitious few.
Again I send many oceans of blessings and self determination to African people everywhere.
ONE BLACK HEART ONE BLACK LOVE
Baba Ras Marcus.