Chancellor, Egerton University

Council Chairman, Egerton University

Council Members, Egerton University

Chairpersons of Councils of other universities

Vice chancellor, Egerton University

Deputy Vice Chancellors of Egerton University

Vice chancellors of other universities

All invited Guests, Members of staff, graduands, parents and guardians

All protocol observed,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to join the graduands together with their families and friends and the entire Egerton University fraternity in celebrating this 42^nd   graduation ceremony. I take this opportunity to sincerely congratulate all the graduands on your great accomplishment in your various academic programs. I recognize that underlying this success is your hard work, resilience, discipline, and commitment to your studies. This graduation ceremony is a testimony that you have successfully gone through academic process that has culminated in your being conferred with an academic award.

 MR. CHANCELLOR SIR,

I am aware that this is unique graduation to be conducted here in Egerton University and other Universities because of the Covid 19 pandemic. The ministry is aware of the effects and challenges that have been brought by the pandemic. I know academic programs has been affected when Universities closed abruptly as acontainment measure to the pandemic. I want to assure you that you are not alone in this and that we are ready to support whenever we will be called upon. I also appeal to the Universities to stick to the Ministry of Health protocols as you prepare to recall students back to college.

To the graduands  I pray that may this challenges brought about by this pandemic be an opportunity  for you to contribute significantly not just on self-development but to societal, national and global development.

As you mark a new chapter in your life, I take this opportunity to remind you of your national and moral duty to uphold the highest levels of ethics, integrity, and patriotism and to remain men and women of honor guided by humility and discipline despite the ever fast paced world that is rapidly yielding innovations and challenges alike. These attributes of our nation will help us pursue knowledge in this fast paced environment guided by highest standards of ethics and professionalism.

MR. CHANCELLOR SIR,

Majority of our population are the youth under the age bracket of 25 years. A bigger percentage are unemployed and others are dependents. Recently the Ministry of Education directed Universities to launch Career Guidance offices. This will go a long way in preparing the students for their job market after graduation.  If well utilized we can reap dividends for their resilience and innovation. I urge the universities to prepare the youth well for the world of work. This can be made possible through offering quality and relevant university education that make it possible for formal employment of our youth as well as innovation and self-employment of our graduates.

MR. CHANCELLOR SIR,

The quality of university education has been a major concern to the stakeholders in University education sector. The employers and the general public have raised concerns on the quality of the academic programs offered by the universities and their relevance to the job market. I urge the leadership of the university to examine quality assurance structures, systems, procedures to ensure they contribute to the highest standards of education as well as carry regular reviews of our academic programs to ensure that they are relevant to the job market.

MR. CHANCELLOR SIR,

Our society faces a myriad of challenges both political, environmental, economic and social. It’s even now a great concern that we are facing worldwide pandemic that has threatened the existence of mankind. It’s my expectation that the capacity and competence learnt here will go a long way in solving such challenges in future especially those in the medical field, transform workplace and communities and impact on socio economic development of the economy. The Kenya vision 2030 focuses to transform the economy towards middle income status by use of manpower trained in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. I’m glad to note that Egerton University has over the years continued to produce graduates on these fields who are pushing forward the National Development agenda. This should be supported by increased focus on research and innovation that will translate to conference papers, publications in reputable journals.  I urge the university to take advantage of government support in innovation and research by engaging the Ministry of Education, National Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), National Research Fund (NRF) and the Kenya Innovation Agency (KENIA).

MR. CHANCELLOR SIR,

World over, Higher Education is experiencing changes. Universities must adapt to changes to remain relevant and gain competitive advantage. This watershed situation being witnessed in Higher Education can act as springboard where captains of these institutions can craft strategies aimed at financial stability. As a grand strategy Universities need to diversify to increase revenue. Universities need to partner with industry, research based institutions and international bodies and by helping these bodies achieve their mandate, Universities can benefit from research funding through partnerships with government and international bodies. The universities may also work with both county and national level in solving problems facing citizens, commercializing research output and developing winning financing strategies that can bring many benefits to these institutions.

In conclusion let me thank the Chancellor, University Council, and University Management Board, the Senate, staff, parents, guardians and students for your tireless efforts culminating into this ceremony. I know it has not been easy on your part organizing this and the pressure that come with new normal in the planning for virtual graduation. Finally to the graduands , I pray that your dreams will take you to the right places of service and may God open to you every window of opportunity . I wish all the graduands success in all their endeavors and please stay safe.

Our Guest of Honour, the Honourable Cabinet Secretary for Education, Professor George Magoha, The Chancellor, Egerton University, Dr Narendra Raval , Chancellors of other Universities present, Chairs of Governing Councils of other universities present, Members of the Governing Council, Egerton University, Members of Governing Councils of other Universities present, the Vice chancellor, Egerton University, Professor Rose Mwonya, Vice chancellors of other universities present, Deputy Vice Chancellors of Egerton University, Professor Kahi, Professor Kibwage and Professor Bebe and Deputy Vice Chancellors of other Universities present, Members of the Egerton University Senate, Heads of Campuses, Faculties, Schools, Directorates, Departments, All Members of the Teaching as well as non-Teaching Staff , Members of the Students Council, All invited Guests, graduands, parents and all Alumni present, all continuing students, the Egerton University Neighbourhood Community, Ladies and gentlemen,

May I start by thanking all those who made this joyous occasion of the 42^nd Graduation  of Egerton University possible. The Cabinet Secretary and the Ministry of Education, the Higher Education Loans Board, the Commisison for Unviersity Education, the graduands themselves, the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor and the Management, the Senate the Deans and Heads of Departments, all members of staff, teaching and non-teaching, parents guardians friends of the Unviersity, and all stakeholders. 

I would like share my thoughts on five related issues today. You can count them on the fingers of one hand.

• Privilege
• Responsibility
• Service
• Empathy and

In our country, where only a tiny fraction of the population ever gets access to University Education, you must count yourselves a fortunate and a privileged lot. A diploma or a degree is a ticket to entering a higher social strata, an exclusive club of laptop carrying digital natives, the club of the intelligensia and of men and women of letters. Society gives you a higher value and a superior position. This privilege extends into giving you higher chances of being employed or self-employed because you are skilled and because you have an informed consciousness and world view.

Privilege is a right or benefit given to some and denied to others. Privilege is the advantage wealthy and powerful people have over society. It borders with rights. The right to govern, to collect taxes to give instructions and expect to be obeyed.

Power and the privilege that goes with it is given to you to serve your country, its people. In this sense, privilege is honour, it is respect and you are held in high esteem. Privilege gives you an opportunity to serve. Not many get this opportunity. So you are a chosen few. A position of power and privilege is one of trust. You become a trustworthy person. You enjoy the confidence of the public and you are regarded as a man or woman of integrity, a steward of self-less service.

You will be faced with the temptation of using a position of power and privilege for personal gain. If you give in to this then trouble sets in. Corruption is beckoning. If you use your position of public trust, of privilege for personal gain, there is a conflict of interest and you are nolonger a person of integrity; you are nolonger trustworthy. You lose all-the aura of honour and respect, public trust, and being a man or woman of letters has no meaning. Infact it is demeaning. People will ask, how is that a university graduate has bent so low as to be on the take? How is it that he or she has accumulated so much wealth a few years after graduation? Is this not living beyond your income? People begin to ask questions and what happens? You lose. You lose respect. You lose honour. You lose your name. You lose your face. You lose your very identity. The abuse of privilege is the abuse of power and position. As Egertonians my first message to you is this. Respect and uphold your positions of privilege. Don’t ever abuse it.

My second isse for your ingestion and digestion is responsibility. Think of holding a coin in your hand. If the side facing you has privilege written on it, just turn it and the other side reads responsibility. Privilege and responsibility are but two sides of the same coin.

A position of privilege is not a free lunch. It comes with responsibility. When you are given responsibility, you are given a task. You take charge. You may get praise if you succeed and blame when you fail. It is a position of trust. You are entrusted with a job to do, a duty to carry out, something to do, usually within a given time frame. When you are in a position of responsibility, it is morally and legally incumbent upon you to do certain things. For example take responsibility of supporting your aging parents; support your siblings and see them through school and see to their housing, food, warm clothing and other basic necessities. If you are in a position to do so, you may take responsibility for donating to support the less fortunate in society, the persons with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children, older citizens. You take your responsibility as a good citizen, as a tax payer to support your government, and not try to evade tax  obligations, because the development of our country, the provision of essential social services, all depend on those taxes.

 Men and women of letters do not shun responsibility. They take charge. Their presence is felt by the people around them by the good they do.

When things go wrong under your watch, take responsibility. In a certain country that I would not name here, there are three ministries of transport: Ministries of Air, Rail and Road Transport respectively. When there is a plane crash in which citizens die, the Minister of Air Transport takes responsibility and resigns. When there is a rail disaster the same happens and and when there is bad road accident in which citizens lose their lives the Minister for Road Transport takes responsibility and resigns. Think about it. The respective ministers did not cause the accidents directly. But for everything under their docket the buck stops at their desk. They do the honourable thing and resign. That is taking responsibility.

My second message to you is this. Be responsible. Take responsibility.

My third issue as food for thought is service to the people.  You have had a privileged position in society by getting a University education, most at public or tax payer’s expense.  Education is the most powerful tool for social and economic improvement. It has and will continue to make a difference in your lives. Its incumbent upon you, it is your responsibility to give to others what Egerton University has given to you. If you are a teacher, you teach; If you are a Vet, treat and care for livestock and other birds and animals, both wild and domestic. If you have graduated in a branch of Agriculture, use your skills to enhance the country’s food security.  At this juncture, allow me to quote Benjamin Disraeli. ‘A university should be a place of light, of liberty and of learning.’ My third message to you is take the light the liberty and learning you got from Egerton in the service of the Kenyan people. It is your duty and responsbility to serve, and to serve selflessly.

My fourth point is on empathy. Listen carefully, empathy should not be confused with sympathy. Empathy is putting yourself in the position of others, in their shoes, if you will so that you actually go through their experiences. You join them in their times of sorrow and celebrate with them in times of joy. That ability to understand the person you  serve is empathy.

Let me give you another example that will I think notion of empathy clearer. A researcher in Anthropology came to a pastoral community from a western country to do research on culture. It was a year long field research. So the researcher built her own grass thatched hut like those of this people. She was given camels, cows and goats for milk, on loan. She would live in her hut and go out with the women for firewood, water and other needs. She lived the life of the members of that community in every sense. With time, she ate what they ate and drunk what they drunk. She learnt and spoke their language. She sold some of the milk from the livestock loaned to her to buy tea and sugar and other supplies from the market. She milked her livestock herself and took care of them. This researcher, no doubt has empathy towards members of this community.

So my fourth message to you is this. Have empathy for the people you serve.

My fifth and last point is hope. If you nurture hope, you will expect to achieve your ambitions. Hope gives you confidence that you will be employed or be self-employed, that you will get married and raise family, that you will have a roof over your head as a home of your own. A hopeful person is a positive thinker. If things are bad now, they will get better soon. You must enthuse others with hope. In one of Achebe’s books, Things Fall Apart, I think, hot water was poured on coakroaches. The young coakroaches cried to their mother that they are going to die. Mother coackroach did not hesitate to give them hope. ‘ Just be patient, for whatever is hot will soon turn cold.’ That is giving hope when its badly needed. If you embrace hope, you are always cheerful and free of stress. A hopeful you does not say things like, ‘I do not know,’ even if you don’t. You will admit ignorance but add, ‘I’ll find out and get back to you.’

So my fifth and final message to you today is this. Keep the flame of hope burning always and enthuse the people around you with hope.

Once the Chancellor confers degrees and diplomas upon you and the Vice Chancellor dissolves the congregation, you will go. Go and serve the people across the country with honour, dignity and pride, knowing very well that you lead best through humility, compassion, responsibility, commitment to serve, empathy and hope in your selfless service to all.

All the best for the future and keep safe.