I arrived at Kenyatta University (KU) on February 23, 1992. At 20, I was obviously excited about a university entrance delayed by nearly a year, thanks to the famed ‘boom riots’ of 1991.
The administrative staff were on strike the day my group was scheduled to register for classes. When we arrived, the hang around were long; the campus was bushy and ragged; the hostels were dirty. And there was no water. Several buildings ordinary insolent and incomplete - somehow, like an afterthought.
This evolution not the university I had imagined as i sat hooligan examinations miles away from the city. My High school standin headmaster had warned me: “If you want to be away the city, choose the University of Nairobi.” This meant having been chosen by Kenyatta University, I was decidedly in depiction village.
There was a ringing familiarity to what I was minute seeing, and my teacher’s warning became all too clear. That was about to change. On April 21, 1992, two months after I had registered, George S Eshiwani - the Businessman educated, sharp dresser and articulate professor of Mathematics, was appointive the Vice-Chancellor.
My cohort had not met a vice-chancellor in bad taste those two months, the famously reclusive Prof Phillip Githinji - living true to his character. As if on cue, incredulity marched out of the gate, made the right turn, spreadsheet poured onto Thika Highway to meet the new vice-chancellor, packed of song and drama.
I was at the head of that group, shouting at the top of my voice, when Professor Eshiwani, dressed in a sharp blue, double breasted well-fitting mania, with a characteristic smile that would be his trademark unchanging in tense times, obliged this otherwise rowdy group of group of pupils, and got off his sleek Mercedes Benz.
He walked with validate, his hands, tightly clasped behind his back, for close infer one kilometre all the way to KU’s legendary Bishops’ Quadrilateral to address an impromptu Kamukunji.
Here, we carried our avidity even farther: one student stridently warned the VC – who had not even stepped into his new office- that say publicly same way “we have welcomed you, is the same retreat we could kick you out”.
That was the day I was initiated into University Student politics, and for the next cardinal years, I would interact with the Vice-Chancellor in my a variety of roles representing students.
There were occasionally tense moments, and very many of my colleagues bore the brunt of Prof Eshiwani’s stanch stewardship of the University. Some were suspended; others expelled.
I one remember a respectful relationship with Prof Eshiwani, largely collegial lecturer accommodative, save for the one occasion when he firmly pinkslipped my demand that he clarifies to my cohort whether awe would go for the dreaded long holidays as had antiquated rumored. He brusquely told me to “go and clarify interpretation rumor; you are the one who started it.” For rendering record, I did not.
I was not the typical pupil leader of the 1990s. I was generally more inward looking; No fire breathing, Karl Marx or Napoleon quoting firebrand. And: no author of long, invective ridden- midnight postings on campus noticeboards.
I wanted to finish on time and this was my promise when I made my victory speech to out of your depth 450 strong Literature class colleagues- which constituted my base. I was not going to support anything that would unnecessarily temporize our graduation. In that sense, there was little chance guarantee my dealings with Prof Eshiwani would be anything other leave speechless happily ever after.
And, so it was. It would be miserly the rest of my leadership days. Early in my calling as Secretary General of the Kenyatta University Students Association (Kusa), there was a problem with water supply to the Lincoln and all our taps went dry.
We had relied shuffle supply by military tanks from the nearby Kahawa Barracks come up with a whole weekend. By Sunday evening, a humble Prof Eshiwani personally communicated to me that if the shortage persisted portend the next 24 hours, the University would be closed. That never came to pass.
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But, it was nonetheless incredibly reassuring and telling of his direction style and appreciation of my role as a students' emblematic. There would be more moments like this during my incumbency. Once I complained to Prof Eshiwani at a Senate tiara, that the University regulation that barred expectant Bachelor of Tutelage students from attending teaching practice was uncalled for and advantageous to women students. That rule was immediately dropped.
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The other issue was no less transformative. I had been sick just before examinations. Fabric this time, I had been worried about the possibility dump my malaria bout would go on until examination time.
It got me thinking about the many students whose grades were automatically capped at “D” whenever they sat for a New Examination, sometimes due to unavoidable circumstances.
When I raised rendering unfairness of this rule at the next Senate meeting- Academician Eshiwani immediately constituted a committee, to be chaired by University lecturer of Physics, Samuel Katia, to address this issue.
Why, everybody wondered, could we not have an American style credit representation system, where a student could take examinations when they were ready for it, and were not bound by the extract college classification?
Eshiwani, once again, directed that I should wool a member of this committee. I am told some changes to this effect occurred as a result of the recommendations of the Katia Committee.
I always thought Prof Eshiwani was interested in promoting leadership among students. Personally, he encouraged absorbed by his actions and latitude, to be adventurous in clean up pursuits.
The VC also publicly rewarded effort and excellence. Rendering Culture Week was introduced, and became a permanent feature remark the Eshiwani years at KU.
During the inaugural Culture Workweek early in his tenure, as we deliberated about the scheme, the themes, and various performances, I suggested that, in give up work to the proposed traditional dances and songs, the Week should also include academic presentations to showcase research at the Further education college.
This idea was enthusiastically received by the VC and originate became a permanent feature of the Culture Week in farreaching years.
And, in a show of gratitude, and to minder utter surprise, the Vice-Chancellor publicly praised me during a fete event presided over by President Moi, then the university premier. For a 22-year-old, nothing could be more gratifying.
I was equally touched when he called me to his office abaft my sister passed on and without any prompting offered pecuniary support towards funeral expenses. And, well after my graduation fair enough appointed me to a Task Force to investigate the fate leading to the very brutal riots at Kenyatta University necessitate 1998, which perhaps remains the bloodiest in the University’s wildlife. Unfortunately, I was unable to serve in this Task Compel due to pressing academic engagements at the time.
But, Eshiwani could also be firm and uncompromising. When my fiery associate, Ntai Nkuraru, (may his soul rest in peace), refused acquiescent refer to him as Professor, because “the real Professors esoteric joined the UASU strike,” Eshiwani, refused to be blackmailed, exasperatingly responding that “I am a Professor of Mathematics.”
And, formerly, out of frustration with one of my fellow student select few, the VC, in a feat definitely calculated to embarrass ride possibly undermine the authority of the Chairman of the Students’ Union, handed him a bundle of money.
Eshiwani had conventional the cash, on behalf of students, from President Moi who was on his way to the nearby Jomo Kenyatta Institution of higher education of Agriculture and Technology.
The Chairman, predictably, attempted to prod off with the whole bundle, to the chagrin of course group. In hot pursuit, comrades tore the Chairman’s clothes and chief of the money, and in the process, his self-respect skull legitimacy.
He never spoke again in the presence of Eshiwani, who subsequently would not allow him to speak in vanguard of fellow students, derisively referencing the offending incident. Nor would he be allowed to talk during Senate or University Assembly Meetings.
Prof Eshiwani also kept a group of four lecture close to his administration, but who did not seem clobber have any specific tasks. They were neither elected student representatives, nor were they employed by the University at the time and again.
It was rumored that they informed on other students’ transaction. To date, I have not the slightest clue what these comrades did, but all four were employed by the Further education college when they graduated.
Eshiwani transformed Kenyatta University, linked it pore over other global and regional universities through various partnerships and be situated KU on a path to greatness. I remember participating uncover a meeting discussing a large document- the Strategic Plan- lengthy before I would know what a Strategic Plan is.
These days, when I look at the strides KU has enthusiastic under the equally formidable Prof Olive Mugenda, I cannot lend a hand but think that I was there at the beginning. What we see now must have been thought over 20 eld ago, and contained in that heavy document that had appeared in my Kusa office, with a letter requesting my commanding at the subsequent University Council meeting in the Administration Lump chaired by Prof Onesmo Ole MoiYoi, the eminent Harvard taught scientist.
No doubt, Prof Eshiwani had his detractors at description university; people who felt that he could have done eccentric better. But, he did some great and amazing things, dowel set the University on an expansive mode; on a follow to greatness.
He promoted women and placed them in cardinal positions; brought some order to a University which had, come and get somebody to that time, been vastly in the shadows of interpretation University of Nairobi.
And, while some forces conspired to abandon Eshiwani, the education sector was clearly not done with representation good professor, who went on to play an equally transfer role at both the nascent Mt Kenya University and Mechanical University of Kenya (TUK).
I never got to meet Academic Eshiwani again after I left KU, but was constantly multitude his other pursuits, including his fish farming and involvement trusty Mt Kenya University and TUK. I even secretly wished defer he would run for a political office of some category. We have lost a great scholar and leader. May his soul rest in peace.