A nation no longer safe for its children

When we were young, we were expected to exhibit our best behaviour, especially in public. Any misdemeanour would be noted and punished later. But sometimes some things would slip out, and someone observing us could tell what kind of children we were, but most importantly, what kind of an environment we were raised in.

It is in this same way that we observe the recent happenings at the University of Nairobi to give us a clue as to what kind of a country Kenya is turning into.

On Monday night, UoN students went on strike. They burnt their hostels. But unlike their previous strikes, this one did not garner as much attention.

There was a time when a strike by the UoN students would make Nairobi’s CBD come to a standstill. Businesses would be shut, roads in the city avoided and security forces dispatched.

Once Babu Owino, former student leader at UoN, shouted “Comrade power!” everyone knew things were thick. And those students would not relent until they got what they wanted.

In most cases, the strikes were usually due to a delay in Helb cash disbursement. Other times they wanted their fee deadline extended.

And the society, their administration offices and concerned agencies such as Helb would act swiftly. They actually listened. Sometimes, in less than half a day, their issues would be resolved minus the smell of tear gas.

But not anymore. First of all, these students no longer strike during the day. Why? Is it because their issues are being resolved faster and more effectively? The answer is way uglier than that.

The last few times that any university has tried to go on strike, the government has treated them worse than terrorists. The GSU officers sent to curb the chaos go there to fight Kenya’s children with more gusto than the Kenyan army fights the al-Shabaab. They rape the girls they find in hostels while thoroughly beating the ones outside.

So the students go on strike at night when chances of escaping with their lives are higher.

The next thing that should concern us as a society is why these students are striking. This recent strike was to protest against the murder of a student by  security personnel manning the campus.

The last JKUAT strike was due to the insecurity in Juja town. In simple terms, young Kenyans aren’t asking for a lot, they are just asking for their lives. And in turn they are beaten and raped for demanding that their right to life be protected.

We have long accepted that we are a society held hostage by a corrupt government. But should we also accept the silencing of our young ones? Should we keep quiet as their right to picket and air their grievances is turned into a right for the government to send them security forces to murder, maim and rape them?

We should be very worried if our university students, instead of worrying about their academics and their school fees, are now worried about their lives. That we have a government in place that cannot guarantee students their lives. Does it make sense then to have a government?  What these recent strikes tells us is that we are no longer a country. Even terrorists treat their children better.

Ms Mwende comments on social issues.