A LETTER TO THE FALLING LEADERS

            When we formed Ukabila ZI Society, we did everything possible, on this part of the continent, to reach as many people as we could to join the movement. In the same spirit, I sent a request on Face-book to join a forum, which I thought was a great idea, Comrades Forum. I must have been naive or very trusting may be... In my mind, this was a place to share ideas and pass information on what’s happening to Comrades. I was far from right; any sensible post would get no attention. Try some silly jokes and insults… the world would be on your back and the attention would just be a killer.

            It broke my heart to see the elite in our society parade their unbecoming ‘village’ behaviors. I say us because, no matter how good you are as an individual, when UoN goes on strike then it is us, when comrades’ forum becomes shady its all of us. 

            I made the long overdue exit from comrades’ forum last year after my graduation. Not because I was no longer a comrade but because I was bitter. Bitter because I was not able to do a thing to change the slowly dying reputation of the legendary ‘Comrade’. One year down the line, it has dawned on me that I cannot run away. I have friends in UoN and they keep drawing my attention to the much hyped campaign period for SONU elections. As such, I have once again searched the comrades’ forum and my heart is broken. My heart is bleeding at the mediocre thinking of some in the young generation. It is the campaign period in UoN and all we see are tribalism posts and comments and worse yet we turn to gender.

            I want to ignore what’s going on but I remember I have siblings; besides, I will have children some time. I have a whole life ahead of me and I do not want them to find our Universities in a sorry state. Thus, my action is a call to all varsity students who believe in change, to be in the forefront of fight against leaders who do not have a student’s interest at heart. If we achieve this, then it will reflect on the national politics in our country. We are the pace setters, thus, if we keep getting it wrong, our lives and those of our generations will be marred. 

            We have been called the leaders of tomorrow but we claim to be the leaders of today... does it reflect in our thinking and actions? Do we have the capacity to be change agents or are we slowly failing?

            Let’s shun negative ethnicity!

Writer of the Article is the Co-founder of Ukabila Zi Society.

Sarah Makena.