Mwandawiro Mghanga’s Speech at the induction workshop of Student Leaders of Pwani University 24^th April 2014.

1.  Introduction

To begin with, I thank Pwani University administration, staff and students for inviting me to participate in this important workshop. I also take this opportunity to thank the students of the university, the university administration and the entire university community for organizing and executing peaceful and successful student elections on March 7^th 2014. Indeed, this is a big step forward towards building the much needed culture of democracy - and academic freedom embodied in it - in our institutions of higher learning.

2.  The premises of the notes

In preparation for this discussion, I made a few notes that I will now present to you. These notes are based on the following premises:

•  That students have a constitutional and legal right and duty to organize and form student organizations;
•  That university administrations are obliged to encourage and facilitate the formation of student organizations;
• That student organizations are not only necessary for smooth relations between students, lecturers and university administrations but also foster the culture of democracy and peace in educational institutions in particular and in the country in general;
• That student organizations can be fertile training ground of organizing peaceful elections and nurturing the culture of democracy and preparing present and future good leaders of the country;
• That academic freedom is invaluable in implementing the role of university education which is to train and provide knowledge and various skills and ultimately to build individuals who are capable of thinking consciously, independently and creatively. The ultimate goal of university education is to create a better human being who is not only endowed with the necessary skills for his/her development and that of society but also - and most importantly - with high moral and cultural values and who is capable of making a contribution to make Kenya and the world better than it is today materially and spiritually.
• Academic freedom means freedom of expression, association, civic and political liberties. Lack of academic freedom impedes research and the growth of knowledge, creates zombies instead of useful human beings and is fertile ground for conflicts within universities and outside universities;
• With the defeat of dictatorship in Kenya, the achievement of multiparty democracy and the Constitution of Kenya, all institutions - including institutions of higher learning like universities - must participate in building and nurturing the culture of democracy and peaceful means of conflict resolutions. This culture should be deliberately imparted to the youth in the universities. Universities must be in the forefront in consolidating the democratic and human rights gains this country has made hitherto; they must participate in exposing any attempts of returning Kenya to the reactionary past. Condemning and fighting the violations of human rights still going on in the country and for struggling for the realization of more democracy, more human rights, more freedom and development in our country should and must be the duty of universities;

I congratulate Pwani University for traveling along the path of realizing all this as is evidenced by this workshop that has been taking place for several days.

3.  The role of student organizations and student leaders

Student organizations are elected bodies that are formed - many times through the laws of various education institutions - for representing and articulating the interests of students. In democratic universities, student leaders are elected officers of the student organizations. Many a time student organizations and leaders act as a bridge of dialogue between the student population, lecturers and university administration. That is why disallowing or sabotaging student organizations within a university is reactionary as it results in planting the seeds of anarchy and conflicts within the universities by destroying the mechanism of solving disputes and conflicts amicably and peacefully.

Nurturing true democratically elected student leaders provides a platform of progressive relations between students and university administrations while fostering academic freedom necessary for free flow of knowledge.

In summary, student leaders must play the following roles, among others:

• Champion, defend, articulate and represents the interests of students in the university;
• Provide leadership among students. In this regard, students leaders should be examples of discipline, principles, diligence, academic performance and high and humane moral values;
• Be a bridge of dialogue between students on one hand and university administration, lecturers and staff on the other hand;
• Organizing various welfare programs of making the university to be as interesting to students as possible;
• Organizing seminars, symposiums and public lectures in the university of discussing academic matters and current national and international affairs;
•  Providing platforms of critical thinking and expression in the university;
• Struggling to build a good image of the university in Kenya and the World through creativity and all forms of initiatives;
• Organizing activities of enhancing students’ participation in the struggles of realizing a just, peaceful and humane world order;
• Offering solidarity to people in the world struggling for freedom from all kind of oppression of person by person or nation by nation.

4. Challenges of student leaders

4.1.         Reflection of the past

Student leaders have always faced various challenges during their times. During our times, student leaders operated under the dictatorship of one party system. Although the University of Nairobi Act articulated the right of the existence of student organization in the university, still this was realized more in the breach than the observance. The Moi/KANU government and university administrations used all means possible to frustrate the forming of a true student organization. It took a long, bitter and protracted struggle by student leaders to form Student Organization Nairobi University (SONU). During that period student leaders were expelled from the university, arrested, tortured and forced into exile. The persecution of students and particularly students’ leaders was the order of the day.

The challenge of student leaders in the era of dictatorship was to make sacrifices of leading the students to struggle against dictatorship within the university and in Kenya in general amidst organized persecution by the state. Under the Moi/KANU dictatorship, there was more democracy within the universities than outside the universities - thanks to the struggles of students and student’s leaders. It is an irony that when Kenya is building the culture of democracy enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya, I have observed in many cases that there is more freedom and democracy outside the universities than within the universities, not to speak of tribalism, corruption and crime! This is a very big shame indeed!

I am happy that Pwani University is away from this reactionary path of fearing and frustrating academic freedom and returning the backward culture of the past. Once more I mention that this workshop is a good indication and a plus to the administrators of our Pwani University. The invitation extended to me to talk to you is a further testimony of the progressive path your university has chosen to travel on.

4.2. The challenges of student leaders today

Since you are students and students’ leaders today, I am sure you know better about the challenges of students’ leaders than me. In these notes, I can only single out my observations from the point of view of a keen former student leader, researcher and progressive politician who is concerned about the crisis of leadership facing our country. I observe the following challenges facing student leaders in Kenyan universities today that I suggest you elected student leaders of Pwani university that have been participating in this workshop should and must address:

• Restoring the good name of student leaders that existed in the history of university education in the country;
• Restoring the good name of university students;
• Ensuring that you are student leaders and not “university prefects”;
• Ensuring that you represent students’ interests and NOT selfish interests;
• Fighting tribalism and all forms of discrimination of person by person;
• Making sure that the culture of indiscipline, corruption, immorality, carelessness, etc. does not find place among the students of Pwani University;
• Sustaining the culture of democracy, peace and dialogue between students and lecturers and university administration;
• Defending academic freedom at all cost;
• Contributing to make Pwani University the best place to pursue university educations;
• Leading by example;
• Being an example of good and capable leadership to the Kenyan youth and also the best example of students’ leadership in Kenya;
• Contributing to reminding your fellow students that, ultimately, they are at the university not only to pursue knowledge and acquire necessary skills, but to become better human beings capable of changing Kenya and the world for the better;
• Leave a good name as students’ leaders and student organization when you finish your time.

5. Acknowledgement

Once more I thank you students’ leaders, lecturers, administration and the entire community of Pwani University for giving me the privilege of participating in this workshop. To the students’ leaders, I once more congratulate you for being elected and wish you good leadership.

Mwandawiro Mghanga, Chairperson of Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP)