The auditor General has exposed the ongoing trends in the public universities, key among them the tendency to favour the dominant ethnic community within its precincts. This trend could be attributed to many factors, key among them the historical factors and also the manner and nature through which such entities came into being. A university from Latin word “Universitas” meaning “whole” is an institution of higher learning/ tertiary education and research. The full name of a university from Latin is “universitas magistrorum et scholarium” translated to mean community of teachers and scholars without borders and that is how the universities should be in Kenya. the primary role of a university is to help the country deal with the developmental issues and aspects. This is done through production of development research through provision of contextualized knowledge, insights and locally relevant policy recommendations for policy formulation and implementation, solving existential problems for the country creating superior products and technologies; and producing new knowledge for adaptation in dealing with economic, political and social developments. These noble functions can be severely impacted by the continued practice of nepotism and cronyism which affects the ability of the universities to conduct thorough research and infuse innovation and advancement of new ways of doing things.
To address ethnicity and cronyism in our public universities, four major things should be undertaken in the country. First, Public universities must ensure that the university curriculum integrates the cultural context of Kenyan its history, and ensure the value and needs of diversity is entrenched throughout the education process in these apex institutions. Secondly, there must be commitment from stakeholders to implement fully the various studies, recommendations and reforms made in ensuring that the public universities are aligned to national values and ethics. Some of these reforms includes the 2016/2017 proposals by the Ministry of Education in the appointment of vice chancellors and council members from the areas outside the geographical location of the university. Thirdly, there must be deliberate policies and programmes to integrate and inculcate national cohesion into the curriculum. Fourthly, Kenyans should be guided by the need for progressive national values and ethics as a foundation and enabler of national development as envisaged in the Kenya Vision 2030 development blueprint. This will reduce pressure on local universities to recruit more locals who must look and behave international and national Dr. Mutegi Giti, Urban management, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) & Environment Specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com, @danielgiti.
Dr. Daniel Mutegi Giti 