IN OUR PUBLICATION TODAY 4/9/13 IS THE HONORARY DEGREE HONOURABLE? BY CLIVE Olero Among the factors that have derailed elections of the 27th SGC is the 29th graduation ceremony in which, it thought, president Uhuru Kenyatta is to be conferred an honorary degree. The planned conferment of an honorary degree to Uhuru has raised numerous dissenting views both from the student fraternity and a segment of members from different political divides. While some associate this move with political favours, some posit it is aimed at mapping Moi University in the good books of the Jubilee government. Amidst this atmosphere of confusion, the bottom line remains: when honorary degrees are awarded, a special symbiotic partnership between the institution and the recipient is established. But perhaps it might be necessary that one understands the grounds on which an honorary degree is conferred before plunging into garish verbal vomit that only seeks to defend certain political allegiance. Honorary degrees are not earned by academic pursuit. They are awarded to distinguished personalities. Recipients of such degrees are those who have gained national or international recognition in cultural, artistic, intellectual or leadership faculties. They are persons of outstanding accomplishments and great ethical standards; people of rare personage with exemplary track records to public service. Those whose who have impacted on society positively. As to whether this conferment is appropriate depends on one’s own appraisal of the person of Hon. Uhuru and his government. But very few will object the fact that Uhuru has achieved quite a feat, his short time in office notwithstanding. Among these include the recent issuance of title deeds to the people of Mombasa, introduction of free maternal health care and acquisition of Kshs. 500 billion grant from China. Those acquainted with recent history can remember his initiative, as Minister for Finance, towards the establishment of the Economic Stimulus Programme; a programme that outlines a myriad of solutions to this country’s economic constraints. However, while we cannot override the benefit, by association, which Moi University will gain, we must ask hard questions. Does Uhuru respect human rights? Isn’t he an indictee of the ICC on charges bordering on lack of respect and reverence to human rights and life? Does he deserve a Moi University acknowledgement? But the administrators being the custodian of policy making have the mandate to approve persons to award and their choice must not satisfy quasi partners. They can even choose to dismiss these questions as insipid. But it might interest someone to know that in 2007, protesters demanded that the University of Edinburgh revoke an honorary degree it had awarded Robert Mugabe earlier in 1984. And, in an almost similar manner, in 2001 students of Yale University chose to boycott a graduation ceremony in which George W. Bush was to be conferred an honorary degree. In our case, the best we can do is to prepare to welcome the fourth head of state. There is some status that a university gains when a sitting head of state visits it. The writer is the Secretary general of the Legacy
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 09:56:07 +0000
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