Musalia Mudavadi: Closure of all schools a declaration of war

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Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi

Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi has said the government’s order to close all schools in the country is a declaration of war on its citizens.

In a press statement Mudavadi said, “The order to close all schools in the country by government marks the height of incompetence in the management of public affairs by a seemingly rudderless government. This incompetence is pronounced in the inability to manage the education sector and instead resort to draconian edicts.”

According to Mudavadi, the government has invaded the sanctity of the Constitution to arrogantly violet the rights of the children of Kenya to an education which amounts to denying Kenyan children access to education.

“It is very disturbing that a government has the tenacity to extend the order to private schools. It is collateral damage to even more innocent children and parents. It is economic sabotage of the private sector in the country. The private schools do not have any connection to the crisis in the public schools sector. They should be left free to run their business.”

He says closure of schools is in total contravention of these provisions in the Bill of Rights and Rights of Children. Subsection 1(b) of article 53 states “Every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education”.

Is the arbitrary closure of schools a fulfillment of these rights or a violation? Government must at all times act in a manner to uphold, promote and implement the constitution.

“A government cannot deny its citizens social amenities and continue to collect taxes. ANC does not see how closing of schools will remedy the teachers’ strike. The solution lies in either opening dialogue with teachers’ unions to find an amicable settlement or paying them what the courts ordered. Both can be achieved with the schools in session.”