Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1186240,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1186240/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 46,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Members, there is a Petition regarding the amendment to the Universities Act 2012. Standing Order 225(2) (b) requires the Speaker to report to the House any petition other than those presented by a Member. Further, Article 119 of the Constitution provides for the right of any person to petition Parliament to consider any matter within its authority, including petitioning the House to enact, amend or repeal any legislation. In this regard, Hon. Members, I wish to report to the House that my Office has received a Petition from Mr Patrick Kaberia of Identity Card Number 22319488, calling for an amendment to the Universities Act 2012 in order to provide for the engagement of alumni associations and other stakeholders in resuscitating, rejuvenating and supporting public universities in Kenya. The Petitioner introduces himself as the Executive Director of PAWA Africa, a civil society organisation specialising in social-economic development and governance, bemoans what he terms as the sad state of public universities in the country. He highlights poor leadership, mismanagement, deteriorating debt level, lack of inclusivity and accountability, failure to comply with gender and regional balance, and inadequate public participation as some of the ills facing those institutions of higher learning. In particular, he views the exclusion of alumni associations and other stakeholders in decision-making as the root cause of this on-going concern, which has led some universities to face near collapse, auction of university property as well as public ridicule. He is thus convinced that the involvement of alumni associations will go a long way in addressing the aforementioned challenges as well as in securing support, national pride, prosperity and global competitiveness of universities through the results and improvement in quality standards and management. Consequently, the Petitioner seeks the intervention of this House in amending the Universities Act, 2012 in order to, among other provisions: Replace the word “may” in Section 42 of the Act with the word “shall” in order to compel universities to establish alumni associations. Empower university alumni associations to nominate representatives to respective university councils, university senate management board, committees and other organs in addition to managing an endowment fund. Hon. Members having determined that the matters raised by the Petitioner are well within the authority of this House, I order that, pursuant to Standing Order 227(1), this Petition be committed to the Public Petitions Committee. The Committee is required to consider the Petition and report its findings to the House in accordance with Standing Order No.227(2). Thank you. Hon. Members, I will give you 30 minutes to comment on both petitions; the one presented by Hon. Atandi and this one from Mr. Patrick Kaberia. Hon. Wandayi, kindly, has the Floor. As usual, the screen is full. I encourage those who want to comment on the two petitions to go to interventions. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}