Comrades wako Njaa! The sad state of university students in Nakuru

Since the beginning of this year, university students have been on edge, with the issue of late disbursement of funds being the uniting factor for those who depend on government funding.

In an interview with Mtaa Wangu, Jackson Mugo, the President of the Student Governing Council of Nakuru, laments how comrades are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"We all know that in December last year, the High Court ruled that the proposed funding model was unconstitutional, citing discrimination and insufficient support for students. This had a ripple effect on first- and second-year students, who have had to report for the second semester without support," says Jackson.

He adds that early last week, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) reverted to the old model to cater to the students, but as of today, some comrades have yet to receive their funds.

"Comrades wako njaa! The situation for students in our campuses is deplorable. Most of the students depend on this money for upkeep, but at the moment, all is not well," he laments.

Francis Kabue, the Secretary-General, echoes the sentiments of his president adding that over the past couple of months, the rise in criminal activities, among university students is a reflection of how the students are desperate for money.

"There was a case last year where students were under investigation for allegations of armed robbery. While I am not justifying their actions, such vices often stem from situations where students lack funds," he says.

The Secretary-General adds, "Also, on campus, we have had issues with women getting involved with sponsors, or as they are commonly referred to, 'wababaz,' in order to get money. Unfortunately, some of them have lost their lives in the process."

Kabue concludes by stating that all these issues are interconnected in one way or another.

Iddi Ibrahim, another student, also laments the rise in mental health issues due to the hard living conditions that students are exposed to.

"There are comrades who only eat one meal a day, and sometimes they’re so broke that they have to borrow money to eat. Over time, if you can't afford something as basic as food, it affects you mentally, and that is one of the reasons we're seeing a high number of suicide cases among comrades," he says.

The clarion call from the governing council is that the government should prioritize the welfare of the comrades.