University of Nairobi students head to polls Friday
The University of Nairobi students will on Friday head to the polls to elect their Campus Association leaders.
Students in the 12 campuses will elect new leadership, with Makori Orina aka Malema and Carlvince Andere emerging as the main contenders for chairmanship in the Main Campus.
Andere told Nairobi News that if elected he plans to restore comradeship by ensuring that student leaders serve comrades.
“The current constitution has led to powerless leadership and this is why the previous office did not perform. My first agenda is to restore comradeship leadership then tackle insecurity in the main campus, accommodation issues and work towards affordable meals,” Andere said.
DIFFERENT ETHNICITY
A law passed in parliament on election of student leaders in universities stipulate that for one to run as students chairperson they should form a team of seven people from different ethnic backgrounds.
“This is locking out good leaders just because they share a tribe with the chairperson and so comrades are getting a raw deal out of the new structure,” Andere explained.
Under the new law, the chairperson is elected by electoral colleges drawn from the campuses, as opposed to the old system where students directly elected the chairperson.
Samwel Ayoma, who is vying for chairperson seat, says he will have to lobby the 36 delegates drawn from the 12 campuses who will be electing the chairperson.
AMENDMENTS
“I am ready and willing to work with any elected leader and my first agenda will be to push for amendments that will revise the student leadership as is currently constituted and bring back spirit of comradeship for a string student leadership,” Ayoma told Nairobi News.
Another candidate for the seat Ertiman Oile says trust is a high currency in this new electoral system.
“It’s a game of betting on the best horse in the campus elections and trusting them to replicate in the union elections while also lobbying the leaders who will be elected in the end. If elected I plan to address all issues raised by students,” Oile told Nairobi News.