DISPATCH FROM WASHINGTON
By Abdillahi Alawy
The Honorable MP for Lamu West, Mr. Twaha Fahim, thought it critical to name the upcoming coast university after President Mwai Kibaki. May be Kibaki is a name to be considered given that he was instrumental in attracting the initials funds for this new institution. There were two presidents before Kibaki and none of them took any serious initiatives that has come this close.
With due respect, however, I am relieved that this university will not be called Mwai Kibaki. Because despite his current popularity we still don’t know how Kibaki will fair when the final history of his presidency is written down. We are all human and before we die, many things can happen that can make us heroes or villains. For this reason, we should not set-up ourselves for failure until we know the finality of Kibaki’s legacy. I have long experience in the educational funding profession and my recommendation at this time is that we collectively name this university with care.
Public universities all over the world continuously depend on funds from many sources private and public. A good smart and neutral name can be a magnet for future funds and a bad name can very much hurt any institution. Imagine the reaction of funders who don’t believe that Moi was a good president for Kenya when asked to provide grant monies for Moi University?
Not many people will fail to separate the name and the university in this case. But believe me; names carry a lot of influence in these matters because the same funders receive proposals to support rehabilitation for Nyayo House torture victims.
Have you imagined the reasons why Makerere did not change its name to Iddi Amin Dada University? Whatever makes us believe that our living leaders, current and/or former won’t end up with histories as cold as that ascribed to the butchers of yesteryears?
There is no Siad Barre University or Julius Nyerere campus. We have not heard of Milton Obote College but we know of Patrice Lumumba University not in the Democratic Republic of Congo but located in the good old Russia, thousands of miles from where Lumumba was sacrificed. The point is if a certain leadership is great, then its name will forever live with us locally and globally.
And, Kibaki’s name will forever be remembered amongst us. Especially if all the allegations associated with the Arturs brothers, Standard Newspapers attacks, Anglo Leasing, and an openly tribalist government are downgraded to mere fabricated talk by the opposition. Therefore, we don’t need MPs whose voice is only heard when they come out to “worship” the president.
Without argument it is best for a university to be called by the name of the town/region in which it resides. Apparently the initial plans aim at decentralizing the university’s campuses in the ten Coastal districts. Therefore, Pwani as a temporary name for the institution is excellent but we should not stop there since Mwambao, and other names are also been associated with the region. Remember also that a university will need a lot of names afterwards for its buildings and facilities. So if you wanted a Chonyi campus or Kaya Hall, please be patient.
At the moment there is very little competition for a name given that the region is lagging behind in this sector. It’s not like there are seven other universities competing for the regional name. However, care should be taken to discourage politicians from pushing the Kibaki’s name especially in this election year when every insecure MP is eager to please the State House. In naming this university, we see competition not from other institutions but from the perennial synchopaths out to please President Mwai Kibaki for their own benefit.
More importantly the preferred name for the new university should come from the people themselves. Areas MPs, and a few highly educated individuals cannot do justice in this matter and involvement of other Coastals should be prioritized immediately. Whether through focus group interviews or in-depth research processes a method can be designed to incorporate involvement of many in naming this university.
The region has patiently waited for over 40 years for this opportunity and it will not be fair to hijack the whole process without incorporating the involvement of key stakeholders from the region. Area MPs will not always be unbiased when it comes to such matters. Therefore, let’s start this on the right footing by inviting all stakeholders of this region.
Lastly, I am very pleased that Egerton’s Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak is chairing the 18-member team. He is an outstanding Coastal academician who will provide excellent leadership for this new institution. I strongly believe that he has already started to steer the project in the right directions. In the coming months we are looking at quick progress that will seek input from not only amongst the 18 members but from all us who believe in this project.
Both Prof. Abdulrazak and I are students of the legendary Professor Juma Lugogo whose only absence in the above team is due to the fact that he is no longer with us anymore. Coast and Kenya sadly lost Dr. Juma Lugogo in October of 2005, but the very best homage for this distinguished teacher and leader will be to do this thing in the right way for the people of the Coast Province.
With due respect, however, I am relieved that this university will not be called Mwai Kibaki. Because despite his current popularity we still don’t know how Kibaki will fair when the final history of his presidency is written down. We are all human and before we die, many things can happen that can make us heroes or villains. For this reason, we should not set-up ourselves for failure until we know the finality of Kibaki’s legacy. I have long experience in the educational funding profession and my recommendation at this time is that we collectively name this university with care.
Public universities all over the world continuously depend on funds from many sources private and public. A good smart and neutral name can be a magnet for future funds and a bad name can very much hurt any institution. Imagine the reaction of funders who don’t believe that Moi was a good president for Kenya when asked to provide grant monies for Moi University?
Not many people will fail to separate the name and the university in this case. But believe me; names carry a lot of influence in these matters because the same funders receive proposals to support rehabilitation for Nyayo House torture victims.
Have you imagined the reasons why Makerere did not change its name to Iddi Amin Dada University? Whatever makes us believe that our living leaders, current and/or former won’t end up with histories as cold as that ascribed to the butchers of yesteryears?
There is no Siad Barre University or Julius Nyerere campus. We have not heard of Milton Obote College but we know of Patrice Lumumba University not in the Democratic Republic of Congo but located in the good old Russia, thousands of miles from where Lumumba was sacrificed. The point is if a certain leadership is great, then its name will forever live with us locally and globally.
And, Kibaki’s name will forever be remembered amongst us. Especially if all the allegations associated with the Arturs brothers, Standard Newspapers attacks, Anglo Leasing, and an openly tribalist government are downgraded to mere fabricated talk by the opposition. Therefore, we don’t need MPs whose voice is only heard when they come out to “worship” the president.
Without argument it is best for a university to be called by the name of the town/region in which it resides. Apparently the initial plans aim at decentralizing the university’s campuses in the ten Coastal districts. Therefore, Pwani as a temporary name for the institution is excellent but we should not stop there since Mwambao, and other names are also been associated with the region. Remember also that a university will need a lot of names afterwards for its buildings and facilities. So if you wanted a Chonyi campus or Kaya Hall, please be patient.
At the moment there is very little competition for a name given that the region is lagging behind in this sector. It’s not like there are seven other universities competing for the regional name. However, care should be taken to discourage politicians from pushing the Kibaki’s name especially in this election year when every insecure MP is eager to please the State House. In naming this university, we see competition not from other institutions but from the perennial synchopaths out to please President Mwai Kibaki for their own benefit.
More importantly the preferred name for the new university should come from the people themselves. Areas MPs, and a few highly educated individuals cannot do justice in this matter and involvement of other Coastals should be prioritized immediately. Whether through focus group interviews or in-depth research processes a method can be designed to incorporate involvement of many in naming this university.
The region has patiently waited for over 40 years for this opportunity and it will not be fair to hijack the whole process without incorporating the involvement of key stakeholders from the region. Area MPs will not always be unbiased when it comes to such matters. Therefore, let’s start this on the right footing by inviting all stakeholders of this region.
Lastly, I am very pleased that Egerton’s Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak is chairing the 18-member team. He is an outstanding Coastal academician who will provide excellent leadership for this new institution. I strongly believe that he has already started to steer the project in the right directions. In the coming months we are looking at quick progress that will seek input from not only amongst the 18 members but from all us who believe in this project.
Both Prof. Abdulrazak and I are students of the legendary Professor Juma Lugogo whose only absence in the above team is due to the fact that he is no longer with us anymore. Coast and Kenya sadly lost Dr. Juma Lugogo in October of 2005, but the very best homage for this distinguished teacher and leader will be to do this thing in the right way for the people of the Coast Province.
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Kenya Times
April, 20, 2007
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