By Meza Mwanza
Mombasa County, Kenya: A section of Mombasa youths from universities and colleges has welcomed the Head of State’s initiative for broader engagement with the youth for national interests.
The youth condemn the chaos in Port City during last week’s protest, which was hijacked by criminals, leading to destruction, three deaths, and injuries. Youth leader Masumbuko Abdulrahman stated their aim was to advocate for change, though their peaceful protests were hijacked.
By assenting to the IEBC bill today, Masumbuko noted, it will allow youth with political ambitions to vie for various elective positions. “We have hopes and dreams but lack the ways and means. We would like to be listened to. Let’s demonstrate peacefully because, at the end of the day, we should be asked by our children what legacy we are leaving to them,” said Masumbuko. He praised the Head of State’s approach to engaging the youth as commendable, emphasizing that “we are the backbone of society; we are the future pillars.”
“The President should extend the engagement to the grassroots level, not just university students, to understand the developments in our country,” Masumbuko added.
Mombasa University Student Association (MUSA) President Mohammed Twalib lauded the youth for exercising their constitutional right to picket and air their grievances. This, he said, is a positive step for Kenya’s democracy and highlights the youth’s role in government accountability. “We believe young people are the face of the revolution. We are not here for power, but for the right thing to be done at the right time,” stated Twalib. “We condemn the goons for infiltrating the protests, undermining a noble cause. We demand that they stop immediately,” he added.
The youths urged the government to withdraw the new university funding model, calling for the reinstatement of the previous one. They argued that the new model has increased fees and reduced aid, causing hardship for students. “If we believe in education as the greatest equalizer, we must reinstate the previous funding model. The new model is not friendly to underprivileged children,” explained Twalib.
Josephat Kalume, a student at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, noted that many students depend on loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to continue their education. The reduction of HELB funding by the government from Sh10 billion to Sh3.5 billion will affect students from underprivileged families. “We are asking the government to rethink the decision. Most students depend on sponsorships,” he said. Some students may defer their studies due to a lack of fees.
Abdalla Said, a student at the Technical University of Mombasa, called for cooperation between the youth to make Port City peaceful and enhance security. He urged the police not to profile people for the mistakes of others. “From the events of last week, it has come to light that even the netizens are afraid of the police there is enmity on the ground police are just doing their work, but people view them as enemies,” he said.
Meanwhile, traders along Moi Avenue noted that businesses have resumed after being affected by the protests by thanking the youth for heeding the Head of State’s call for dialogue to end the stalemate.
“Most car buyers are not from Mombasa; they come from Nairobi, upcountry, and neighboring countries when there are protests, they don’t come to buy vehicles,” said Ben Chumbu, a car dealer.
“Let’s halt the protests. Mombasa is a peace haven. Mombasa is a tourist hub that brings a lot of revenue; most tourists’ first stop is the iconic Elephant Tusks. When there are protests, they will not come,” added Chumbu.
