Kenya Insights

Tag: nepotism

  • Corruption And Ethnic Imbalance At University of Kabianga

    Corruption And Ethnic Imbalance At University of Kabianga

    Tender wars, tribalism and corruption have crippled the academic standards as well as infrastructural development at the University of Kabianga.

    Last week, one of the poorly managed Higher learning institution located in Kabianga Division in Kericho County celebrated its 7th graduation ceremony. The University’s council members and head of deans leadership is almost 90 per cent Kalenjin dominated.

    According to Weekly Citizen, in the worrying trend of alarming tribalism right from the management board, deans to the director, it’s the names of the Kalinjins which have prominently featured.

    Prof Wilson Kipngeno is Kabiangas  Vice-Chancellor under a management board that also boats of a host of his tribesmen including Prof Eric Koech, CPA Willy Koech, Ms Janet Nankui (Librarian), Dr. Cecillia Sang (Academic), Mr Kipkoech Kimalel (Admin), Dr Rev Edwin Too (PR and D) and Mr. Geoffrey Sowek (ICT director).

    The ethnic imbalance is clearly laid out, from the 8 management board members, there are only three individuals from other regions, Prof Elijah Omwenga(DVC A and SA), Prof Maurice Oduor (DVC, PRD) and Ms Ayuma Robai (Legal Officer).

    The pattern continues as—Dr. Peter Cheruiyot is the Dean of school of Business and economics, Dr Harrison Bii (Dean, School of Information Science and knowledge management) and Dr Joyce Kiplimo (Dean, Science and Technology).

    Worst hit is the directors section which has Dr. Janet Kombich (Director, Kericho town campus), Mr. Kipkirui Rono (Director, Sotik Campus), Dr. Erick Mibei (Director Kapkatet campus), Dr. Hellen Sang (Director, Gender Development), Dr. Andrew Kipkosgey (Director, Quality Assurance), Prof Joash Kibett (Director, board of graduate studies) and Mr. Geoffrey Sowek (ICT director).

    Kabianga University is tussling with a range of dubious deals and the masterminds of the dirty deals are folks speaking the same language— vernacular to be specific.

    An audit report by the outgoing Auditor General Edward Ouko revealed a widespread financial mismanagement. Ouko pointed to a possible escalation of the sh1, 075,100 Pineapple plant project that is now haunting the masterminds.

    On their 7th graduation ceremony, council chairperson Dr Florence Nyamu managed to sneak her defence inside her graduation day message in a handsomely paid Newspaper advertisement. Kenya Insights could independently establish whether Nyamu directly benefited from the loot but she was tasked to defend the controversial project.

    According to Dr Nyamu, the University is implementing the fruit juice processing plant to process pineapple juice and other fruits towards ththe the pillar on food security.

    There are myriads of similar issues that have turned the university into a laughing stock. In a most recent case, the grammatical error in communication targeting fourth-year students drew the wrath of students who faulted the institution for its ineptitude. Students from other universities now refer to Kabianga as a localized university and should, therefore, be forgiven for such errors seemingly driven by vernacular influence.

    The Weekly Citizen also published that Gatundu MP Moses Kuria is intertwined in the controversial sh1.2 billion construction tender at the University. Irate group of professionals from the Rift Valley region alleged that Kuria is associated with the company that was awarded the lucrative tender at the expense of all the qualified Bomet County contractors to revamp and construct the university.

     

  • The ‘Stormzy Effect’ And How It’s Helping Black Students Get Cambridge University Admissions

    The ‘Stormzy Effect’ And How It’s Helping Black Students Get Cambridge University Admissions

    Last year, Stormzy, a Ghanaian born British rapper whose full name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, launched his own scholarship which aims to provide funding for Black needy students desiring to be admitted into Cambridge University.

    For those of you who might not know who Stormzy musically is, he’s originally a Ghanian hit maker and a rapper based in Britain with hit records such as “Vossi Bop” and “Shut Up“.

    Stormzy has a scholarship programme that is currently helping Black students get into one of the most prestigious universities in the world, that has over. Currently the rapper is fully sponsiring 10 black needy scholars and he’s directly involve an other hundreds of successful admissions.

    Stormzy made history in June for by being the first ever black male solo artist to headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival. The 2019 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts took place between 26 and 30 June. The three headlining acts were Stormzy, The Killers and The Cure with Kylie Minogue performing in the iconic Legend’s Slot.

    “I was stood arm in arm with so many people up there, I’ve always had a sense of duty in my career. As much as I might be the artist up there, I’ve risen from a community. I’ve been championed by the public and by my people. Every time I’m on stage like that it’s because of so many different people.” Stormzy said about his performance.

    Proud: Stormzy hailed black British stars (GQ / Louie Banks)

    “Often in British culture, there has only been one of two or three black people in the spotlight at one time. But nah, that’s over now. There are so many of us that the world should hear. So when I did that, I was just thinking that I need to let people know that it’s not just myself. It’s not just Stormzy.” The rapper added.

    According to AllHipHop, the rapper has been credited with a 50 percent increase in the admissions of Black students at the top-tier university. The phenomenon has now been dubbed the “Stormzy effect”.

    Last year, statistics showed that Cambridge  University had failed to admit a single Black Brit student at more than one in four of its colleges during 2015 and 2017. The institution has been on the frying pan for that.

    I will not compare what Stormzy is doing to what is really needed in Kenya because it is definitely not the same issue nor a problem at hand. What is really killing Kenyans is the fact that the Country has thousands if not millions of graduate yet unemployed youths.

    Come to think of it, tribalism is like the racism of Kenya which, in the current state, is flavoured with the enormous institiutionalised corruption.

    Dr. Burudi, a Private Military Contractor (PMC) with the KDF told me;

    “This country will always produce millions of educated yet unproductive graduates. Because thats what they learned yet didn’t visualize more than realize it. Kenya has an Education system of generating fools. A system that is teaching employment in a political  environment that is cutting jobs more than it’s, not even creating but, thinking of, more like promising. A ‘you are on your own’ system that uses ‘you will get’ jobs to keep the ‘education system ‘afloat.”

    In school, college or university, everyone has the ability and was/is almost destined to go places or fulfil their goals. Unfortunately suprising for many, in real life, the society if filled with hopeless yet educated generation! Is this indeed a hopeless system we are piping hopeful Kenyans through?