Violent confrontation is not how to handle grievances at our universities

What you need to know:

  • Universities aspire towards a cohesive society devoid of tribalism.
  • Therefore, merit is the touchstone of their under-takings.

The violence that erupted at the University of Eldoret last Wednesday was quite unfortunate and should never recur. Universities are meant to co-exist with the community because the two depend on each other.

Things would not have taken this ugly turn had the right channels been used to deal with the grievances raised.  

Vice-Chancellor Teresa Akenga has been accused of all sorts of things, including nepotism and tribalism, in hiring the university staff and that the institution is mired in corruption.

It is worth noting that the VC does not hire the university staff singlehandedly. There is due process to be followed.

First there is the university council which ensures the college sticks to rules and regulations in all its operations.

The council sees to it that merit prevails in employment of staff.

Therefore, hiring, like any other process, is elaborate and does not lend itself to the whims or manipulations of any individual.

Not even the VC can influence this process. Therefore, the claims against her are baseless and made out of utter ignorance on the internal workings of universities.

FIRST PORT OF CALL

There is also the national regulator in the name of the Commission for Higher Education that ensures all universities follow the laid down rules and regulations.

If any person is aggrieved in any way by an institution’s actions, the commission is the first port of call in seeking redress.

While the Constitution guarantees the right to protest, such protests step out of legal boundaries if they compromise the rights of others and prejudice the good of the wider society.

Protests ought to be conducted in a way that does not lead to violence and destruction of property.

Leaders, and anybody else for that matter, ought to realise that brains, not brawl, hold answers to grievances, especially touching on universities.

This is where the best brains of any country are domiciled and it is misguided to take violence to the doorstep of a university in the name of seeking justice. 

If you have any issues relating to the running of a university, all you need to do is to seek audience with the administrators and engage in informed debate and discussion.

It is unfortunate that Eldoret University students were incited into fomenting violence by leaders who ought to know better.

The local leaders who spearheaded the fracas would have requested a meeting with the university to iron out their issues and I am sure their request would have been quickly granted.

This would have avoided the unnecessary confrontation. Seemingly, the route of amicable resolution to problems does not appeal to some leaders.

OWN MECHANISMS

Resorting to violence gave the impression that the institution has no proper channels to deal with problems.

This is far from the truth. Besides national institutions that would have easily addressed the issues raised, the university certainly has its own mechanisms to deal with such matters.

Apparently the inciters of the students were on a mission to gain political mileage through violent means and could not countenance a peaceful resolution to their complaints.

University of Eldoret, just like any university worth its name, represents the best of the society’s actions and behaviour. 

The university appreciates that the society looks up to institutions of higher learning to provide guidance on various aspects of life. And for universities to do that, they have to lead by example.

Universities aspire towards a cohesive society devoid of tribalism. Therefore, merit is the touchstone of their undertakings.

Also, co-existence is an inherent hallmark of universities; they are a melting pot of cultures. Narrow-minded cleavages that divide most societies have no place in any university. 

If there is corruption in the institution as alleged, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is there to handle it.

If tribalism and nepotism are rife at the university as alleged, we also have a full commission entrenched in the Constitution to address that.

As a society we have to be sober and civil in the way we air our grievances. Having a penchant for confrontational approaches does not augur well for our wellbeing.

Gicharu is the founder and chairman of Mount Kenya University. Warigi’s column resumes next week