GET /api/v0.1/hansard/entries/99829/?format=api
HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 99829,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/99829/?format=api",
"text_counter": 363,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Odhiambo",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 119,
"legal_name": "Alfred Bwire Odhiambo",
"slug": "alfred-bwire"
},
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to contribute to this Motion. I wish also to say that I support it. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to speak about issues that have not been mentioned here by the previous speakers, because I am a Member of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology. We had an opportunity to visit Kenyatta University as a Committee and saw for ourselves the damage that was caused. Therefore, some of the issues that I want to talk about may not be what has been said by the previous speakers. For example, they have said that the Vice-Chancellor is doing a good job. One of the best things that we saw in Kenyatta University is â we must admit â beautification. The beautification there is first class. As a lady, she has done a lot to make that university a beautiful place. I also happen to be a former student of Kenyatta University. The place looks beautiful. But I want to say that in terms of ethnicity, let us not hide the truth. There is a very high level of ethnicity in Kenyatta University. Most of the promotions there are not done on merit. They are based on ethnic affiliations, for both the teaching and non-teaching staff. That came out very clearly from the interview we gave to both the teaching and non-teaching staff. Even in terms of the punitive measures that were taken, in fact, it was also very clear that those who were suspended were actually--- We could see that it was geared towards certain ethnic groups. The people who were suspended were arraigned before us and you could see the names. In this country we know that when you talk of Kamau, we know that he comes from a certain region. Likewise, when you talk of Kipkorir, we know that he comes from a certain region. So, the punishment seems to have been done selectively. One of the reasons that made the students very angry is because they were cutting short their programme. The programme was to run for 16 weeks but it was reduced to 11 weeks. That was done because they wanted the parallel programme to come in. The same problem is affecting almost all our universities today. People have said that our universities are doing a very good job. I want to say that the quality of education they are offering today is not the same as our time. They have commercialized university education in the name of making money through the parallel programmes. They are expanding those programmes without considering the available facilities. The expansion of the parallel programmes does not go in tandem with the existing facilities in the universities. That does not only apply to Kenyatta University, but to all the universities. That is something that this country must address. When the Ministry said that all the universities should account for the money that they get from the parallel programmes, all the vice-chancellors were up in arms. They were not happy to hear that. That is something we know. So, there must be something that they are hiding. As other people have said, there is a lot of ethnicity in all our universities. Let us not pretend. However, in Kenyatta University, it is a little bit too high. One of the problems is about the remuneration of the staff. I am glad that Dr. Mwiria was fighting for salary increment for the university academic staff before he came to Parliament. So, he knows what we are talking about. The lecturers there are not happy because they are not paid well. An example has been given here. I do not have to repeat it. You will find that a degree holder is earning more than a professor who taught him only a few years before graduation."
}