When meals were free and students were paid ‘boom’ in campus

While unrest by campus students is not new in Kenya, the recent riots by University of Nairobi students left many counting losses. It was quite unfortunate, and to think they took to the streets over food is even more mind blowing.

Many wondered what the students had smoked that morning when they went on a rampage just because the administration had banned cooking in the halls of residence. Few Kenyans could wrap their minds around that as reason considering that back in the day when there was real education, all that was required for admission to university was good marks.

You needed no money for school fees, accommodation or meals. Things were that good.

In short, everything, including meals, was free, fully paid for by the government.

Students at colleges like Kenya Utalii College, medical training colleges and teachers’ training colleges enjoyed similar benefits.

Additionally, students received cash allowances every month - the famous ‘boom’ which was paid to students for their upkeep. It was called ‘boom’ after Uganda’s famous Chepkube coffee boom that saw Kenyans sneak to smuggle coffee in the late 1970s!

The catering department was up to standard. The food was not only nutritious, but was also in plenty.

Back in the day, students rioted for lack of meatballs or chicken on the menu. A few students, those who took part in various sporting activities, would occasionally go on strike over that all too important second plate of steaming chicken.

Accommodation too was free. The college even issued new students with mattresses, blankets and a pillowcase. Imagine that!

Only first-year students shared rooms, with each room accommodating two students. At second year, one would have the whole room to himself. There was warm water for showering and making tea.

See, you had no reason to cook in the room. A few students even became landlords, renting out their rooms to outsiders with hustles in the CBD.

Things are quite different today. First, we got rid of all other colleges and now every institution seems to be offering degree programmes.  It is the qualification that the job market demands today.

Given the hard economic times, most students are unable to raise money to survive in college. Asking them to buy food at the cafeteria is ironic.

If you go to any university today, you’ll find basic goods being packed and sold to students, the kadogo economy way. This ‘university economy’ allows broke students to buy sukuma wiki and tomatoes to prepare a meal.

Interestingly, it costs Sh70 to prepare a decent meal for a group of students. And then there are those who can only afford one meal per day.

In short, if colleges or universities intend to abolish cooking in hostels, they should revert to the old system  when meals were free. But if this is too much to ask for, why can’t the universities have a common cooking area for students?

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@AineaOjiambo