Friady 15th Nov. 2008
ARU COUNTY MP Hon. Odonga Otto is considering quitting the political game because of the costs he has been paying since his first time in parliament eight years ago.
The youthful legislator said that for the past two months he had deliberately pulled out of the political scene so that he can have a different view of the world. He was addressing a Youth Alive conference at Makerere university on Friday.
“I am embarrased of being a member of parliament. Since I joined parliament eight years ago I have tried to work for the truth, but continued paying prices in the process” Otto said, adding that political immorality has hit Uganda hard.
Otto sighted instances where his efforts to fight corruption and other moral injustices had been frastrated.
“Recently, I tabled a motion on the abuse of CHOGM money clearly mentioning names of MPs who took the bribe, but I was surprised by being taken to the disciplinary committee as if I were the crimininal.” He said.
“All my friends who helped me in the research and investigation of the matter turned against me after taking another bribe. From that time, I avoided parliament, and said, let them continue to do what they are doing, as long as I get my salary”.
Otto also criticised the way the Temangalo land issue was handled by parliament. He said the indicted minister was not genuinely freed and yet he had contravened the leadership code of conduct.
“For political reasons I know Mbabazi was forced to apologise, NRM MPs who criticised him were warned,and silenced, then a surprise renunciation was made in parliament that the man has been cleared” he said.
Otto said that social organisations like Kampala Pentecostal Church where he also worships from is now the way to go in order to bring back good morals to the Country.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
RIOTING CANNOT SOLVE HIGH UNIVERSITY FEES
Tuesday,11/11/2008
NOVEMBER 6TH WAS a special day for Kenyans and indeed Africans the world over as the first black man of Kenyan origin became president of the most powerful country on earth.
Consequently, President Emilio Mwai Kibaki declared a national public holiday for Kenyans to celebrate the fact that their own son, Barack Hussein Obama a Luo man with origins from Kogelo in Kenya was voted president of the United States of America.
Across the East African region people spent a sleepless night celebrating the fall of key swing states to the Democratic candidate. Cheering, clapping, dancing and all sorts of excitement were the order of the day in Kenya and Uganda. In short, this was a day for contentment.
However Kenyan students at Makerere University in Uganda received this victory with mixed feelings, and instead of joining fellow country men to jubilate, they decided to take to the streets what they dubbed a discriminative action by the university administration against them.
The students blamed Makerere for charging them higher tuition, and functional fees compared to their Ugandan counterparts.
I thought it would be rationale to blame leaders of the East African Community for failing to settle such fee disparities in the regional institutions of learning. There has been much talk about streamlining fees for all students in the East African region, but it seems walking that talk is becoming difficult or even impossible.
I don’t think the university administration or even the Ugandan government shows any disfavour for the international students or Kenyans for that matter. But if there were such bad turn, well the law allows peaceful demonstration with the knowledge of law enforcement bodies like the police.
The Kenyan students’ riot I must say posed a big threat to the university administrative staff as they blocked the main gate and the entrance to the main building where most staff including the Vice Chancellor sits. In fact their display made it appear as though their demand was not genuine because they couldn’t even listen to any explanation during a meeting with the Vice Chancellor and the Kenyan Deputy High Commission Mr. Gitongo.
By booing and jeering at the commissioner, these young ladies and gentlemen made high the suspicion that some one could be trying to use them for the wrong reason – in the words of the Vice chancellor Prof. Livingstone Luboobi.
In fact a keen look at students who commanded the riot gave one an impression that their reason was not quite authentic.
First, their number was not convincing; they were few and scattered despite the great number of Kenyan students at the Campus. This makes one think the idea was possibly not fully supported. Secondly, from their faces and mood, you could easily tell that liquor was at work. Worse still, the employment of a petrol bomb even raises more serious questions.
It was the appearance of the rioters that made me believe what a Kenyan friend had earlier told me; that the riot was planned by those who spent the sleepless night at the bar drinking as they enjoyed the U.S vote results.
It is important to note that the problem of fees increments at Makerere this year affected every body. Even government-sponsored students were asked to pay more functional fees, on top of the state contribution, including paying for accommodation and feeding by themselves next semester if the proposed cost sharing decision is passed.
Ugandan private students petitioned parliament for the same. Thus, international students who think the cost is being bent their side are simply either being uninformed about the facts on the ground, or chasing a unique deal.
Yet in comparison to other universities in the region, Makerere is still among the cheapest even with the meager increments being contested.
Nairobi University College of Science recently amplified their tuition from Kshs93,000(about Ugshs2.2m) to a record Kshs540,000(about Ugshs12.9m) for national students per year.
Foreign students at Makerere pay an average of just 1.8m per year, which is pea nuts compared to what Kenyan nationals pay at Nairobi University;
At Moi University, citizen students part with Kshs200,000(about Ugshs4.8m) per year on average for tuition. Meanwhile Kenyatta University tuition for Kenyans is Kshs86,000(about Ugshs2.1m) on average which is still much higher than what Makerere demands, and yet all these universities also have different fees structures for students from other countries. They also have functional fees.
Therefore, instead of rioting and plotting to destroy structures and disorganise individuals in the administration, it would be wise for students to find a bigger platform beyond the office of a mere employee in the capacity of the Vice chancellor to table such grievances. I believe it’s high time leaders of the East African Federation are put to task on matters pertaining education in the region.
NOVEMBER 6TH WAS a special day for Kenyans and indeed Africans the world over as the first black man of Kenyan origin became president of the most powerful country on earth.
Consequently, President Emilio Mwai Kibaki declared a national public holiday for Kenyans to celebrate the fact that their own son, Barack Hussein Obama a Luo man with origins from Kogelo in Kenya was voted president of the United States of America.
Across the East African region people spent a sleepless night celebrating the fall of key swing states to the Democratic candidate. Cheering, clapping, dancing and all sorts of excitement were the order of the day in Kenya and Uganda. In short, this was a day for contentment.
However Kenyan students at Makerere University in Uganda received this victory with mixed feelings, and instead of joining fellow country men to jubilate, they decided to take to the streets what they dubbed a discriminative action by the university administration against them.
The students blamed Makerere for charging them higher tuition, and functional fees compared to their Ugandan counterparts.
I thought it would be rationale to blame leaders of the East African Community for failing to settle such fee disparities in the regional institutions of learning. There has been much talk about streamlining fees for all students in the East African region, but it seems walking that talk is becoming difficult or even impossible.
I don’t think the university administration or even the Ugandan government shows any disfavour for the international students or Kenyans for that matter. But if there were such bad turn, well the law allows peaceful demonstration with the knowledge of law enforcement bodies like the police.
The Kenyan students’ riot I must say posed a big threat to the university administrative staff as they blocked the main gate and the entrance to the main building where most staff including the Vice Chancellor sits. In fact their display made it appear as though their demand was not genuine because they couldn’t even listen to any explanation during a meeting with the Vice Chancellor and the Kenyan Deputy High Commission Mr. Gitongo.
By booing and jeering at the commissioner, these young ladies and gentlemen made high the suspicion that some one could be trying to use them for the wrong reason – in the words of the Vice chancellor Prof. Livingstone Luboobi.
In fact a keen look at students who commanded the riot gave one an impression that their reason was not quite authentic.
First, their number was not convincing; they were few and scattered despite the great number of Kenyan students at the Campus. This makes one think the idea was possibly not fully supported. Secondly, from their faces and mood, you could easily tell that liquor was at work. Worse still, the employment of a petrol bomb even raises more serious questions.
It was the appearance of the rioters that made me believe what a Kenyan friend had earlier told me; that the riot was planned by those who spent the sleepless night at the bar drinking as they enjoyed the U.S vote results.
It is important to note that the problem of fees increments at Makerere this year affected every body. Even government-sponsored students were asked to pay more functional fees, on top of the state contribution, including paying for accommodation and feeding by themselves next semester if the proposed cost sharing decision is passed.
Ugandan private students petitioned parliament for the same. Thus, international students who think the cost is being bent their side are simply either being uninformed about the facts on the ground, or chasing a unique deal.
Yet in comparison to other universities in the region, Makerere is still among the cheapest even with the meager increments being contested.
Nairobi University College of Science recently amplified their tuition from Kshs93,000(about Ugshs2.2m) to a record Kshs540,000(about Ugshs12.9m) for national students per year.
Foreign students at Makerere pay an average of just 1.8m per year, which is pea nuts compared to what Kenyan nationals pay at Nairobi University;
At Moi University, citizen students part with Kshs200,000(about Ugshs4.8m) per year on average for tuition. Meanwhile Kenyatta University tuition for Kenyans is Kshs86,000(about Ugshs2.1m) on average which is still much higher than what Makerere demands, and yet all these universities also have different fees structures for students from other countries. They also have functional fees.
Therefore, instead of rioting and plotting to destroy structures and disorganise individuals in the administration, it would be wise for students to find a bigger platform beyond the office of a mere employee in the capacity of the Vice chancellor to table such grievances. I believe it’s high time leaders of the East African Federation are put to task on matters pertaining education in the region.
Monday, November 3, 2008
MUK GOVERNMENT STUDENTS OPPOSE FEEDING OPTION
4/11/2008
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY government sponsored students have opposed the administrative decision to put an end to feeding in the halls of residence.
In a letter to the University Council on Monday, leaders of the scholarship recipients led by Students’ Guild Representatives; James Onying and Samuel Mafabi, stated:
“We government students body have agreed in principle after consultations with various stakeholders that the intended move by the university council to outsource feeding of students in halls of residence be suspended.”
Last week the university administrators made a request to parliament seeking an immediate and permanent end to students feeding and accommodation facilities.
The university secretary, Sam Akorimo told parliament that feeding and accommodation of students at the university was becoming difficult, and yet their main function was teaching.
“Our job is not to feed students. The core function of Makerere University is only teaching, research and outreach,” he said, adding that feeding and accommodation was causing a financial gamble to the university.
“We cannot continue feeding students with the rising food prices yet the government gives us fixed amount. Shs160 million we get from government every year for development can not maintain the dilapidated halls of residence.” Akorimo told parliament.
Recently the dean of students, John Ekudu in a circular informed government students in the different halls of residence to present their bank account numbers to allow the university deposit for them a feeding allowance beginning next semester when feeding in the halls will be no more.
Students have rubbished the proposal saying the amount of shs.2,050 decided to feed each student per day was tool little.
On average, food at Makerere university costs between sh.1,500 and sh.2,000 a meal. “This is a public university and it should work for us not against us” they stated in a letter.
END
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY government sponsored students have opposed the administrative decision to put an end to feeding in the halls of residence.
In a letter to the University Council on Monday, leaders of the scholarship recipients led by Students’ Guild Representatives; James Onying and Samuel Mafabi, stated:
“We government students body have agreed in principle after consultations with various stakeholders that the intended move by the university council to outsource feeding of students in halls of residence be suspended.”
Last week the university administrators made a request to parliament seeking an immediate and permanent end to students feeding and accommodation facilities.
The university secretary, Sam Akorimo told parliament that feeding and accommodation of students at the university was becoming difficult, and yet their main function was teaching.
“Our job is not to feed students. The core function of Makerere University is only teaching, research and outreach,” he said, adding that feeding and accommodation was causing a financial gamble to the university.
“We cannot continue feeding students with the rising food prices yet the government gives us fixed amount. Shs160 million we get from government every year for development can not maintain the dilapidated halls of residence.” Akorimo told parliament.
Recently the dean of students, John Ekudu in a circular informed government students in the different halls of residence to present their bank account numbers to allow the university deposit for them a feeding allowance beginning next semester when feeding in the halls will be no more.
Students have rubbished the proposal saying the amount of shs.2,050 decided to feed each student per day was tool little.
On average, food at Makerere university costs between sh.1,500 and sh.2,000 a meal. “This is a public university and it should work for us not against us” they stated in a letter.
END
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