MMUST: Students no longer have direct say in picking leaders

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) students will no longer directly vote for their student leaders.

This is after they voted to change the constitution in a referendum that was characterised with a low turnout.

In the new constitution, the students will be voting for school representatives who will then form an electoral college to pick MMUSO leaders. The victory for the new constitution also signified the end of Students Governing Council (SGC) and paved way for Students Executive Council (SEC) and the congress which has been replaced with the Parliament.

Only 1,154 out of over 15,000 students turned out to cast their votes with 668 for and 482 against the constitution.

Students from other campuses and learning centers were locked out of the exercise as they did not vote for the constitution. Moses Wanyande, the incumbent MMUSO secretary general who spearheaded campaigns for the YES team said the new constitution focuses on gender rule through affirmative action.

He said MMUST has made history by endorsing the constitution that will change the political dimensions at the university.

„I am happy to leave a legacy behind when I leave the MMUSO Secretary General office. Students will realize that it is the best constitution after it is inaugurated. I would not like to see the next council go through what we underwent.“ Wanyande said.

However, some students opposed the proposed constitution.

“This constitution is a project of the administration. They want to deny students their mandate in electing their leaders. The administration wants to micromanage students affairs,” said one of the students who opposed.