Wrangles at KUSO as two factions fight for office

By Mourice Seretta

The Kenya University Students Organization (KUSO), a platform that unites all students in recognized institutions of higher learning all over the country is in turmoil as two factions emerge to claim to be bonafide leaders of the giant union.

One is led by Saruni Jesse who says he is the current President of the organization while the other is led by veteran student leader Antony Manyara who the new leadership removed from office in August 2022 after serving for five consecutive terms.

This emerged after Saruni Jesse called for a consultative meeting of KUSO members on Wednesday 18th January 2023 at Ufungamano House in Nairobi to see how they will iron out some issues affecting comrades across all universities. After sending out a media invite for the press to cover the event, Manyara dismissed the meeting terming those who called for the meeting as ‘impostors’.

‘There is no such meeting that has been called by KUSO officials. Those calling for it are impostors.’ Manyara said.

However, addressing the media after the meeting at Ufungamano, Saruni Jesse dismissed Manyara saying he is a former KUSO President and his term expired long time ago after ‘overstaying his invite’.

‘We have no wrangles at all. Manyara was a KUSO President and we wish him well in his future endevors.’ Jesse said.

Together with other student leaders, Jessie said they will work with all elected leaders and the government of the day to ensure issues touching on university students are addressed and catered for.

They called on the new government to improve security in universities to reduce cases of students being attacked and some being killed in university precincts.

He also called on the government to ensure the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funds are made available to all students on time.

‘We are also appealing to the government to increase the HELB loan from Kshs 47, 000 to Kshs 200, 000. They should also ensure that the HELB clearance certificate is done away with to ensure that comrades get jobs after graduating. Graduates must also be allowed to start paying back HELP only if they start earning a salary of Kshs 39, 100 and above,’ he added.

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