University students want the University Act of 2012 changed to allow for universal suffrage in the student elections system as was previously the case.
They are now calling on MPs to approve a petition tabled in the House by the Committee of Education and Research.
The petitioners led by Amos Kamotho, a student from the Cooperative University of Kenya, said it is time to return the “one comrade, one vote”.
According to Kamotho, the voting system is not only riddled with malpractices but also locks out poor comrades from being elected.
“The Act interfered with student leaders’ elections and the process is now riddled with corruption, interference by university management and rampant abuse of students’ rights by the university admin,” the fourth-year Procurement student said.
Further, the comrades alluded that varsity admins had taken advantage of the process to disqualify students who don’t cooperate with them.
Kamotho, however, noted that the reforms had made the electoral process peaceful but had denied comrades their right to elect leaders of their choice.
“The current amendment was to ensure peaceful elections and restrict multiple terms of office in the students’ organization like SONU but it had denied us the chance to elect our own leaders,” he added.
After considering the petition, the Education Committee recommended that each university consult with its students and formulate a workable electoral system that will still allow students to vote for their leaders directly.
“Each university in consultation with the student’s association of the university should formulate and enact regulations on good academic standing to govern the conduct of elections including regulation of campaigns, election financing, offences and penalties,” committee chair Florence Mutua, the Busia Woman Rep, said.
Melvine Wangare was voted in as the new chair of UNSA through the electoral system.
