Babu Owino blocked from Ruto’s university funding model townhall meeting
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino claims he had been blocked from Ruto's university funding model townhall meeting
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino claims he had been blocked from Ruto’s university funding model townhall meeting
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino on Sunday claimed that he had been blocked from accessing the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) where President William Ruto was hosting university student representatives to address the contentious higher education funding model.
Taking to his official social media accounts, Owino, while responding to a comment from a user who expressed his wish to have seen the legislator at the meeting, responded by saying, “I went but they denied me access.”
Though he did not explain the reasons why he had been denied access, the youthful MP has been vocal in advocating for students to rise up and reject the contentious model altogether.
Owino, a former Student Organization of Nairobi University (SONU) leader has explicitly made it clear he is opposed to the new model, describing it as punitive.
“Student Leaders who will meet Ruto today must tell him the truth, the New university funding model is a beast that will consume our Education system,” he posted.
“Our Brothers and sisters will never afford Education which they so deserve to change their lives and this country. Say No!” the MP had posted earlier in the day.
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While unpacking the funding model, Babu Owino through his handles noted that in the 80s, the government of the day provided grants not loans which eased the cost of education. “If in 1987 University Education was free, why charge Parents and comrades now?”
The contentious new funding model has attracted a series of criticisms from various quarters with many suggesting that the model perpetrates inequality.
University students from across the country had expressed their intentions to demonstrate to compel the government to consider revising it.
To that end, SONU on Thursday issued a notice to demonstrate on September 2.
However, on Saturday, it was reported that UoN student leader Rocha Madzao was reported missing, with many speculating that he had been abducted over the looming protests.
This prompted UoN students to stage demonstrations along Uhuru Highway and Waiyaki Way on Saturday during which they lit bonfires and hoisted placards demanding their leader’s release.
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