BYE BYE MOI

By Wesonga Quintas
 
Joining Moi University, the university with a difference, is one of the best events to have happened in my life so far. I have indeed seen the difference and this is the same message I take out as I say bye and breathe a sigh of relief upon completion of my 8-4-4 studies. I want to bid special farewell and appreciation to some groups of people and individuals:

My only creditors today, the HELB is the first to bid a humble farewell. You made a poor son of man access university education and interact with the mighty. Although reminders to repay are now the biggest stressor, thanks for the great help. 

Coming to lecturers, there is no blanket judgement. There are those sadists who made my life difficult. I will be jubilant to have you out of sight. To the few good lecturers, fare thee well.

The administrators at the School of Education: Mr. Mutuku, Saina, Jane and the whole team, God has seen your good work and a reward is in the offing. Your hard work serving the largest school in Main Campus unrelentingly is worth noting. Kudos, I will miss you!
The greatest sigh of relief is for the senate. I bear an honest grudge to this intellectual lot. They acted as the devil’s advocate and extended my stay here. The less I say the better for my skin. Bye.

For the security team, you have to pull up your socks. Here, we have Sisyphus syndrome of dealing only with crisis. The lights which were put up in the Mashoka era are dysfunctional today till he resurfaces. Farewell though because you always read my articles and immediately noted when it was unpalatable for the boss hoping this meets no threshold for the same. 

Coming fast to the health centre, sorry the university hospital, I only thank God for keeping my health all through that I was never a guest there apart from visits as a 3rd Eye reporter. If the security will have to pull up the socks, I am honestly unable to say what the hospital staff should do!

Forgetting mama mboga in this article would be suicidal. Their presence, though unnoticed by many, is invaluable. You left your families to serve, though for a profit, but the opportunity cost was too high. You still pressed on and supplied all I needed both in harvest and dry season. Serve more brothers and sisters I leave behind. Bye. 

Home is where I did all my “homework.” The hostel department under the able leadership of Mrs. Ebby Tanui was so good. Puke if you wish but they were good to me, especially one Salima Kiprono of Hostel H. I stayed here for two years. The only problem with the department comes when a student is referred to room 34 at Admin. Anyway, for the good majority, thanks and bye.

All my roommates were so good. Each new year there was a new roommate. Whether it was due to my stubbornness or their goodness, I never went on “exile.” I always slept in my room whenever I was in school. Farewell.

Home away from home was St. Michael’s Chaplaincy. I really enjoyed mass. A service where each county and diocese is represented under one roof was the best. Fr. Njoroge and Fr. Waweru made it even better. To the whole family, bye.

Another group I will be happy to bid farewell is the matatu lot. They charge exorbitant prices and cartel the route. They were only teased for weeks when a student died in 2009 due to their behaviour then it was business as usual. When I come for graduation, they will charge me double the already high fare. They annoy me the most just like the senate and security. Farewell.

What made me enjoy the extended term was the associations such as the 3rd Eye, MUKAS and NYGCA. They enabled me have a stress-free life due to free association. The lively debates at MUKAS and 3rd Eye were great, not forgetting the encouragement from NYGCA. I enjoyed making stories with friends then at the end hear “Nisipate hii stori 3rd Eye.

In a movie or a play, all glory goes to the actors and no one is keen on other people behind the scenes such as the playwright, financiers, music players, costume makers etc. I will not follow this trend. All the hostel cleaners, typists, secretaries, bodaboda guys, photocopiers and all those who worked behind the scenes to enable my stay and studies, fare thee well.

All friends and enemies in the making, bye! I am very sorry for whoever I wronged even in this article. Fare thee well!

RETAIN ROOMS, SAYS ADMINISTRATION

The university administration has agreed continuing students to retain the rooms they are currently occupying. In a memo released today signed by the deputy vice chancellor in charge of student affairs Prof. Nathan Ogechi, the university acknowledged the fact that the students would be breaking shortly between 12th July 2013 and 22nd July 2013 and therefore agreed to students retaining the rooms.

However, students have been advised to make arrangements to pay both accommodation and tuition fees as a condition of retaining the rooms for the second semester.

UNIVERSITY EXTENDS CLEARANCE DEADLINE

By Boaz Onyango

The University will extend the deadline of signing out of rooms till next week, Monday due to examinations. A memo released last week stated that students should clear from rooms by 12th of July. However, this is reprieve to students who are expected to complete their exams on Friday. 

Speaking in his office, Catering and Accommodations Manager Mr. Chesang’ said the examination office had communicated that the exams will end at 5 pm, making it impractical for the students to clear.

Mr. Chesang’ also disclosed why continuing students ought to sign out of hostels despite a 10-day holiday. He said that the university had reached the decision to have students clear fee balances at beginning of the semester before being allocated rooms. 

The accommodation department also wants to allocate rooms afresh to accommodate the incoming 2000 fourth years in the Senior Hostels like A and E. Some of the senior hostels are reportedly being occupied by the second and third year students. The 2008 K.C.S.E group will report on 22nd of July.

It also emerged that clearance from rooms will now be done every semester to accommodate different lots of students. This will however, will depend on the university calendar which remains unpredictable.

Meanwhile, the ICT department is currently feeding the system with the student’s data to pave way for implementation of the online booking from this October.

THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADHAN

By Maalim Salat

"A blessed month has arrived. Observing it in fasting is mandated on you (the believers). During this month, the gates of Paradise will be opened and the gates of Hellfire will be closed. The evil ones (Shayaatin) will be handcuffed. In it there is one night, during which worship is better than worship in a thousand months. Whoever is denied its blessings has been denied the biggest blessing." Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h)
 
Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It begins after the crescent of the new moon is spotted, is one of the most sacred Islamic observances because it marks the month in which Allah revealed the Holy Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h). it is the month in which Torah was revealed to Moses and Injil(the Gospel) was revealed to Jesus bringing with it all the glory. This is the month in which the doors of heavens are kept open, doors of hell are closed and Satan is kept in chains.

It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sex with their partners during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity.

In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special night prayers, called Taraaweeh, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz’, which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.

Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, they gather for the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar either at home or in the Mosques. The meal starts with the eating of three dates. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, after which the main meal is served.

During this month, Muslims seek Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Decree) which falls in the last ten days. It is on this night that Prophet Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. Any prayer or deed on this night is better than prayers performed in a thousand months and all sins are forgiven.

The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempted from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempted are the travelers, pregnant women (if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby), women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. This group must make up the days they missed fasting at a later date.

The Chairman, The Executive Committee, The Editorial Board and Members of The 3rd Eye wish our Brothers and Sisters Ramadhan Kareem and Saum Maqbul.