The Stage is Set for SOMU Elections by Watiri Mwangi

Ah yes! its the season for indulgence as once again students’ politics takes center stage in Maseno University. The sirens are deafening as free booze, free muratina, irritating campaigns, kamukunjis, disturbing posters (yes I mean disturbing) and everything indescribable are back. If you have been living in a hole, then the dissolution of SOMU 2013/2013 is breaking news. Yes, the university administration has given the green lights for nomination and election of the new (as if) SOMU 2014/2015. ‘Erectricity!’ best describes the atmosphere on campus at the moment.

In other words, LET THE CAT FIGHTS BEGIN! 

So, what is Maseno without the ever entertaining drama of SOMU campaigns? Also, with the ongoing activities a few things do not escape our notice. Firstly, as the candidates spend sleepless nights strategizing to woo voters, others suffer insomnia on how they will whoosh the campaign money. This is despite the fact that campaign funding has cost the candidates an arm and a leg. Getting the most suitable and loyal campaign team is paramount; no one wants to be associated with the losing team anyway. However, just be careful you’re not being played and considering your busy schedule, even your girlfriend’s loyalty will be questionable.

The all too common door to door campaigns can be quite irritating so the common strategy is to front the eye-candy both males and females. If you think this is too vain, then you have missed out on the lipstick jungle conversations because with such a campaign team, you do not need luck to get freshmen votes. And, yes they also get lucky; I mean what’s the whole point of the campaign? This is what ‘goes down’ when you have a distracted or opportunist campaign team. From the Kamukunjis to the common gyms these candidates will do anything, everything to win the elections. This zeal often translates to the lack of respect of privacy particularly in the washrooms with the horrid posters that keep disrupting our ‘business.’ While I am no expert, I acknowledge it is important to have your presence felt, but isn’t this is a tad too far?

So what’s my point you ask? Well here at BAMU we are simply offering you an opportunity for a stress-free campaign that guarantees you that much needed presence. Yes you will not need washrooms, a distracted campaign team or eye-candy to capture voters and create an online presence. BAMU offers you an opportunity to use our online presence and social networking skills to market your agenda and vision for Maseno’s leadership, something that we all agree is lacking. We offer an agreement that is bound to knock you off your feet unlike the knock offs you’ve been offered as a campaign strategy. DO take advantage of this incredible opportunity and run with it while you can.

THE KENYA YOUTH HUB YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT by Churchill Ongere

Maseno University will on Friday 26^th play host to a number of visionary and accomplished entrepreneurs from Kisumu and the country when the Kenya Youth Hub will be holding a youth entrepreneurship summit at the university’s board room. The summit, themed Rethinking Youth Entrepreneurship will have several event features and speakers including top Kisumu businessman Abdul Qadir Mohammed (C.E.O of Dubai Auto Spares) and a top philanthropist, Betty Okero (C.E.O Civil Society Networks) and Bill Omamo (Owner, KnK Coffee Shop & Bill’s Coffee) among other speakers who will contribute through Skype including Nigerian photographer and film maker Taye Balogun and Heshan De Silva, founder and C.E.O, DSGVenCap.

Speakers will discuss among other issues leadership, governance, youth entrepreneurship and innovation. Come meet and network with some of the country’s C.E.Os, top businessmen and organization leaders. Registration fee is Ksh 200 and those in attendance will get a certificate of participation. RSVP now via 0721314242.

For more information about Kenya Youth Hub, visit their site here.

AND BEHOLD HERE ARE THE FIRST YEARS

By Elizabeth Muthama

So the first years are several weeks old in school, and the continuing students are back. I am sure that several of the latter have found themselves in a situation where they have to be ‘pirates’ (mostly being a pain to other people by staying in a room where you have not been allocated), don’t worry so have I and while I was at it I was forced to listen in on an interesting conversation, talk about lemon being used to make lemonade.

I stayed in a room that had 3 first years and only I was not of the feather. Since I was pirating, I made an effort to show an interest in all the conversations, but soon they caught the attention of my nosy brain and itchy keyboard. The stories of the new birds started by series of confessions on how great a party organized by David Mwangi in the previous night was off the hook, made lively by Colonel Mustapha and crowned with free alcohol from male continuing students.

Soon it was on how each of the ladies swore to each other to do as they wanted coz anyway they were in campus finally- the land of the ‘free’. The discussion went on and on jumping from one juicy topic each peculiarly centred on men, beauty and alcohol. The young ladies clearly enjoyed their talk so as much as at multiple times I wanted to step in and pour some old wisdom I restrained as I didn't want to take away their excitement but most importantly I was a ‘pirate’ and I did not want to shoot the souls that housed me.

I came to Maseno in 2011 & i absolutely loved my moments as a first year: are there any similarities between 2011 and 2014 or are they different sides of different coins?

The contrast…

Their phones are nothing like what I reported to school with. Upon my admission to Maseno I had an LG KP105 phone. These first years are so tech savvy than any fourth year, 3 years ago.

They are more ready to stick their legs in mud than I was. Three years ago when I came to Maseno, I got involved in a lot of things but alcohol was not one of them. In an intoxicated state, things happen and at that moment there is no turning back: from illicit sex to fights. An unnamed source told me of a fight that occurred on the 12^th night that left a student seriously injured, and guess what a couple of first years were part of that.  

They are all on Facebook and a host of other social networks. I wouldn't brag to have been a social media guru 3 years ago, but these guys are: well at least a good majority of them. My friends can testify that even today am not much of a social media enthusiast.

And the similarities…

Alcohol is the one cord that is strikingly similar. Love for alcohol cuts across the board for the freshers’ and all the continuing students. If your target is to throw a big party that no one attends delete alcohol from the menu. So long comrades

FRESHMEN: POINTERS TO MASENO UNI’s ART SCENE 

by Churchill Ongere

Here are a couple of pointers to the art scene in Maseno University for the freshmen. Though the art circuit is constituted of just a handful of events and activities, the creatives’ community here keeps thriving despite the organizational and financial setbacks:

1.   The university community here is conscious of the role of artists and will treat you respectfully. But then, we all know what controversial subjects can do to artists. Do not fear going down that road though.

2.   There are several artist groups and communities you might want to know of. Artists and creatives come together in these groups occasionally, mostly weekly, to showcase works, collaborate on projects and get feedback about completed works. If you need positive critiquing done on your work, there are several platforms where you can get that kind of input for free. Spoken Heart is a general artists and creatives collective that doubles as a Behavior Change and Communication Group under a non-governmental organization, I Choose Life Africa (ICL) that operates in the university from an office in Siriba campus (you’ll know your way around with time). Spoken Heart sessions go down every Thursday night, 7-10 pm.

3.   If theatre and performing arts is your thing, I would advise you get to meet the people at the university’s music room (this one shouldn’t be hard to get to, it’s directly opposite where you’ll board the university shuttle when going to the main gate).Also, on Thursday nights, actors and actresses meet to stage plays and do rehearsals at Hindocha Hall (again, you’ll know with time).

4.   For poets, rappers and hip hop enthusiasts, Spoken Heart is the best and most active platform to meet and get people to collaborate with. For guys who draw, paint, sculpt, do graphic design and any other form of computer generated art, apparel, accessories and interior design, Spoken Heart would still serve you right.  Though there’s a designers collective that has since gone into events management much (Insigne), Spoken Heart still manages to pull a good number of designers.

5.   Important to mention also, is the fact that there are interior and apparel design plus fine art courses being offered in the university.

6.   For those interested in learning and getting into the radio industry, there’s a media department where you can apply for and get to be guided on how to run a radio show.

7.   There’s a salsa dance group too. Practice goes on Wednesday and Thursday nights every week.

8.   For percussionists and instrumentalists, there is a university band you would want to join. Plus a choir. Close to this, is an independent student’s band not run by the university, Sana Sana band. The band has grown over the past three years to be a household name in the university. Both genders can join as vocalists or instrumentalists.

9.   For writers and other content generators, there are several online student-run platforms you can write for. Bloggers Association of Maseno University is a bloggers collective that has a blog run by students where submitted articles are published based on outlined criteria. Articles submitted can capture a wide scope of subjects provided it’s well done. Similarly, there’s gigzcampo, an online repository of articles covering events and certain subjects as they unfold in the university. With all the stuff going down in and around the university, there’s always something to write about. Just get inspired and get writing.

10.                     If you are interested in mainstream journalism, there’s a newspaper publication, Equator Weekly, run by the media department that could be a good place to channel your energies to.

Campus Life After Life

The breath of freedom excited her a little bit

She wondered if she'd learn to live there and fit

In a world so new that it felt like a deep pit,

To be wise, still and calm she took the back seat,

Campus life, she had heard of it, now she gotta live it

The room was dusty but looked bearable,

A little sigh at that point was suitable,

As she cleaned and unpacked what she held valuable,

She tried to make her new home quite comfortable,

Campus life, she wondered if she'd be able.

It didn't take her long to notice and mark a trend,

She still treded alone, finding her way,not a single friend,

She knew at the back of her mind it will all count at the end,

She pledged that one day for her children she'll fend,

Campus life , did it have a hand to lend?

The skimpy dressing and open air relationship,

At first was too much but she hoped on to the ship,

Over time she learned the art of friendship,

Opened up to new possibilities, tried out the spaceship,

Campus life,  may be it could offer mentorship.

Too bad she reported during a political time,

Not taking a side was actualy a federal crime,

Tension was high she had to learn how to mime,

The school president was to be chosen among lime,

Campus life, on it she could not place a rhyme.

She hated the campaigners who'd go door to door,

Not just because they'd dirty her clean floor,

Some along with the campaigns wanted somethong more,

She'd heard of the gold rush , but thought it sore,

Campus life, she hoped it was worth living for.

Hot built and sexy they gently knocked unlike usualy,

They walked in and they were appealing visually,

She disguised her blush with a serious face held firmly,

They were rugby players, her favourite sport coincidentally,

Campus life, wasn't turning out so badly.

One of them she started to meet a bit often,

There bond grew stronger as time baked it in the oven,

Date one two and three and by date seven,

They were a a pair, one plus one made eleven

Campus life, was now on earth, a little heaven.

It's her last year in campus and she can't wait,

Her freshman year definitely carries the weight,

She's happy her ex did not determine her fate,

She had her peak but snapped out before it was too late,

Campus life, did give her, her first date.

Word from OOGAM

Campus offers you a chance to live without rules, a chance to experince life in a maximum type of freedom, that wouldn't be found anywhere else. No one cares for what you do or say. Live without limitations but do not forget, there is still a life after Campus Life.

 By Olave Orawo

Campus Jungle

Campus is a jungle. Trust me I know; and so do you. I mean you've heard stories from friends, seen sagas splashed on newspapers and social media. But here you are a freshman in Maseno University. Some of you hate the fact that you've been called here, some are hoping to transfer mid year, others have dreamt of Maseno University as small children. Whatever the case, I'm here to help and guide you through the first sem at least.

Basics...

First things first. The key thing you need to remember: be yourself. You're not there to impress anyone. This is in relation to dressing, behaviour and especially your values.

No learning institution is fun... So make friends. Start with your housemates, coursemates or former schoolmates. You'll be surprised how beneficial such friendships can be.

Familiarise yourself

There's no need to rush and try everything or go everywhere. I mean you do have 4years. I remember when I started my classes I had no clue where most halls were. You don't want to be late for a completely new subject. I mean there's nothing worse than floating a whole semester of what your course is really about.

Go beyond...

Don't let 4years pass you by and all you can present is a degree. Get involved in the co-curricula. There's Salsa classes for the danceaholics, SpokenHeart and Bloggers Association of Maseno University for the creatives, Kenya RedCross Society Maseno Chapter for those who enjoy volunteering, Google club for the tech geniuses and so much more.

Beware...

There are afew things you need to note:

Ladies, don't be fooled. Men will do and say anything to get you to give it up to them.

Men, getting drunk shouldn't be your lifestyle. I'm sure you have so much more to offer.

Strikes aren't a must attend event. 

That's all I have for now...I'm out.

By Stacey Nduta.