HELB MATTERS

By Jally Kihara

Eleven students drawn from the Student Governing Council and the students body are scheduled to visit the Ministry of Higher Education and the Helb offices on Monday, 30th April 2012, to make a follow-up on the possible date of disbursing finances to the continuing students.

The group will be equipped with a list of signatures collected from students who feel affected by the changed academic dates and their continued stay in the university will be impossible without the Helb funding.

The office of dean of students is fully aware of the move and he approved the group’s proposed budget to enhance their mission. This action has been prompted by news that the much awaited funds might not be released any time soon which would make lives unbearable especially to those who depend entirely on Helb to pay fee and get money for upkeep. 

However, the Muso chairman Mr. Doghana is not comfortable with the approach towards the current crisis citing that the pathway of the issue might not go well with the university’s leadership.

HARMONIZATION OF PRICES

The continued outcry by comrades about the hiked prices of items within campus has finally impelled the chairman to act on the issue.

Mr. Doghana has promised that the exploitative merchants around campus must shelve their greed if they are to continue conducting their businesses in the Muso premises. 

Doghana expressed his dissatisfaction over the overcharging that goes on in these shops which are owned by the directors and he’s expected to hold a consultative meeting with comrades today to chat the way forward.

The campus shops are selling at prices which are much higher than those at stage, for example 1kg of Mumias sugar retails at Ksh 160/= at Soweto shop while the same goes at Ksh. 140/= at Reliance Supermarket.

Also , according to contractual agreement between the Chips cafés owners and the finance director , chips are supposed to retail at an average price of Ksh.60/=, all conditions taken care of, but chips has continuously been retailed at Ksh. 70/=.

Though this is a free market, it is unacceptable for the few to exploit innocent consumers and it is high time measures be put in place to control the pricing.

The move by the chairman to have campus pricing controlled is welcome. He has also hinted to table a dossier on who owns which shop.