Dr.habil. Dr. Seronei arap Chelulei Cheison

Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Voices of Protest: Bold Women Defying Norms and Demanding Justice by Mathew Birgen

Hon. Mithika Linturi (left) and Maryanne Keitany (Right)

Like many of us, we couldn't resist the temptation and clicked to listen to the recorded of an alleged phone call of Aldai MP Marianne Keitany (MK). Her anger was palpable as she used unprintable words to oppose plans for an official visit to her constituency by her estranged partner, who now serves as a cabinet secretary in Kenya Kwanza administration.

Their long-standing quarrel had been public knowledge for years. What intrigued me was the rawness of her protest and the choice of words she used to express her pain and frustration with her ex-husband’s treatment during their ongoing court process.

Although the specifics of their differences remain elusive to the public, her ‘rude’ protest left a deep impression of her emotional turmoil. She didn't stop there; her protest extended to the former MP, accusing him of meddling in her constituency despite her legitimacy as the rightful representative. Aside note, the immediate former MP, lacking privacy, betrayed her trust by posting the recording online. Women's vulgarity is discomforting and a nuisance to most African men, but it undeniably raises attention and gives weight to women’s concerns, which they desperately need. The central goal of this approach is not to upend masculinity per se, but to call it to its rightful social place, one of protection, security, and the guarantee of justice, especially for the vulnerable, such as women, children, and any disadvantaged person.

MK’s bold approach is not an isolated case. We’ve witnessed similar radical protests from Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a Ugandan medical anthropologist and academic-turned-activist, currently exiled in Kenya. Dr. Nyanzi has employed radical rudeness on several occasions, using vulgar poems, public stripping, and yelling expletives to express her discontent with President Museveni’s leadership. Her actions led to her imprisonment for 18 months. Nyanzi’s scandalous forms of protest have brought attention to the deep gender inequalities in Uganda, shedding light on women’s lack of control over their sexuality and sexual encounters, as well as oppressive legislation in the country. Her bold poetry garnered international recognition, and she was honored with The Oxfam Novib/PEN International Award for Freedom of Expression in 2020, writing her acceptance letter while incarcerated.

Recently, we were shocked by Maverick Aoko’s allegations of her ‘laptop’ escapades with prominent political figures (waheshimiwas). Regardless of the veracity of her claims, Aoko’s actions were also a form of protest against the abuse she had endured, feeling ‘used’ by some male members of the political class. Reading her thread, one could discern that her plea was simply for someone to pay her college tuition fees so she could complete her studies, even if it meant humiliating herself. Through her use of vulgar language and posting expletives online, she brought attention to the role of women’s bodies as spaces of social and political discourse.

By bravely confessing her secret encounters with honorable members, she unveiled the silent suffering experienced by many of our sisters and women. Her pain was a stark reminder of the injustices prevalent in our society, revealing the role of power and poverty in violating our shared humanity. Aoko is not merely vulgar; she is a citizen raising her voice for justice.

The use of vulgarity and language bordering on ‘nudity’ as a form of radical political activism may have historical roots. In 1992, six mothers (including the late Prof. Wangari Maathai) held a vigil for their sons imprisoned for political reasons. When the police were dispatched to disperse them, these courageous women resorted to stripping naked in an act of protest. Despite being faced with heavily armed police, they stood their ground, demanding the release of their sons, who were already on an extended hunger strike. Their desperate action drew international attention as the violent treatment they received ignited stone-throwing riots in Nairobi.

In an incredible show of solidarity, matatus (public minibuses) went on strike. This event has inspired academic analyses of female militancy in political activism, spotlighting the power of women's courage in the face of oppression. Yet, the transformation from stripping naked to adopting rude activism online begs an explanation. In the novel Betrayal in the City, we encounter Mulili, an ex-soldier turned farmer, whose connection to power through his cousin, the Boss, makes him corrupt and inhuman, lacking remorse. In a poignant scene, grieving parents Nina and Digo beg Mulili to allow them to continue with the shaving ceremony for their murdered son. His cold refusal prompts Nina to threaten to strip naked and curse him with blindness.

Right away, Mulili asks

“…. How many naked body I have seen, and I am still Mulili with my two eyes, natural?”

Apparently, Mulili's exposure to modernity and power has seemingly desensitized him to traditional curses. Instead of fearing physical harm, he is more concerned about losing his political power—a modern-day equivalent of the curse. This shift from physical curses to political consequences reflects the changing dynamics of society.

These women activists have indeed made an impact through their use of vulgarity and explicit language, challenging societal norms and demanding justice in their unapologetically bold voices.

Footnote:

¹See Maverick Aoko on twitter @AokoOtieno_

²The idea of “laptop” is used by Adan Duale in his memoir For The Record. Duale notes that ladies are carried as laptops for intimate encounters when officials go for retreats. He writes, “

… the way laptops are for business trips, these young women were always present in the political meetings, sneaked in like contraband into hotel rooms late at night.

” For more see, Adan Duale, For the Record: The Inside story of Power, Lawmaking and Leadership in Kenya (2023).

Saturday, 6 February 2021

Scholarships in US & Canada (Mathew Birgen, Gilbert Kiprop & Maria Chemeli Sang)

SECTION 1.

Mathew: Theme - Graduate Schools in Canada (Social Sciences & Humanities)

· Choosing a program in graduate school

o Choose the trajectory you desire for your graduate studies i.e. For professional or academic reasons.

o Search a school (online) then on the faculty page, pick a professor whose research interests align with your own.

o Write to a professor expressing your interest for his/her(they?) supervision. Be sure to have familiarised with the work of the prof before initiating contact (search online for their work and read before). Please note that contacting a potential supervisor is a crucial step towards securing admission and even funding. So consider it carefully. For a sample email and guidelines on how to initiate first contact with a prof., see below or click on this link; https: //uvasrg. github.io/ prospective/

o In your initial contact include your CV and a copy of your transcripts.

o If the prof. Invites your to apply, then proceed to apply through the set procedure in the admission page of the relevant faculty.

o Have your research proposal ready for submitting with your application. On page limit and bibliographic information etc, follow the guidelines set in the school’s admission instructions. (Check this twitter thread for general guidelines; https://twitter.com/drhammed/status/1330768502706364418?lang=en. )

o Be sure to get your academic reference in, in time and from people (usually your former professor/lecturer) who can speak to your academic ability necessary for the rigour of graduate studies.

o Sample paper: choose one of your previous papers from college/master’s thesis.

o Please check to avoid plagiarism always**

· In your application, you may be asked to provide a statement of purpose and/or a personal statement for admission purposes. These two are different.

Statement of purpose(SOP)

1 Introduction, interests & motivations.- a very brief & direct description of yourself

2. Brief description of your undergrad (or MSc) journey- important modules, your publications, past research, conferences- point out just the significant things & why they’re important.

3. Your activities- past or current-; work experience, leadership or volunteer that prepared you for graduate school and specifically for that MSc/PhD you’re applying

4. Discuss more on your research interests- the question you would like to study for MSc/PhD, Prof(s) you have contacted & will be working with (if admitted), what you bringing to the school/lab & how the program will benefit you

5. Close this SOP with optimism, let them know you have the right experiences to excel & you’re confident of contributing significantly.

Personal Statement (PS)

Here, you're giving the admission committee a chance to know you as a person. This essay enables one to tell a compelling story(ies) about your life, show communication skills & show your potential in increasing collaboration in a cross-section setting.

1.Discuss some personal events that have shaped you to become who you’re today.

2. Why and how did you become interested in your course? what have you learned?- “I’ve always wanted to study biochemistry since childhood” HOW?- this is a general statement & way too common

3. Discuss your significant achievement despite your low background (economic wise or others).

4. Your leadership experience and community involvement and how that has helped you and perhaps help develop your community.

5. Your interest in contributing to higher education and giving back- career goal

6. Any gap in your result, test scores you would like them to note? – please let them know in this essay.

Tips in writing these two statements;

1. Unless otherwise stated, I would be very concise & maintain my essays to be 1000words max. (ideally, way less)

2. Your opening Paragraph- please write this in a well convincing way to grab the reader’s attention (if this is good, the flow will continue)

3. Don’t write SOP/PS with “I’ve always wanted to become ABC”- substantiate

4. It’s not a CV- Don’t list your achievements & forget to explain the importance & how it describes you as a person

5. Show example- don’t just say “I’m a brilliant student”, demonstrate it.

6. Be specific, ensure continuity, and let the flow link to each other.

7. Be a bit confident, write from a positive perspective- they don’t know you before, so MARKET YOURSELF WELL.

8. Close the essay with a statement full of excitement and optimism

· PS and SOP info source: (Hammed,A Akende Msc @twitter2021)**

Funding

· Personal funding

· You can secure funding through your research supervisor (talk your potential supervisor about possibility of funding from their own research funding), or

· Most graduate programs are funded from the school. Consult the “funding” page on the faculty page of your program of interest.

· Secondary source in partnership with the university; eg.

Mastercard: https://mastercardfdn.org/all/scholars/

Trudeau foundation: https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/

Vanier Scholarship: https://vanier.gc.ca/en/home-accueil.html

· See also https://www.wemake scholars.com/other/government-of-quebec/scholarships

Tips for securing funding

· Submit your application on time (most schools have either december 15th or January 15th for fall admission (following september) and for your application to be considered for funding.

· Good grades (first class or strong upper)

· Publication, conference participation, previous awards, project involvement (experience gathered).

· Your research interest; interdisciplinary? Trendy? Innovative?

· Strong recommendations

· Your presentation in your essays and or during interviews.

· Search online: Gates foundation, Fulbright, Funding for developing countries, commonwealth countries etc.

Link to list of universities in Canada:

A-Z list of accredited Canadian Universities & Colleges (4icu.org)

List of universities in Canada - Study in Canada (studying-in-canada.org)

SECTION 2.

Maria: Theme - Graduate Studies in Science and undergraduate applications

1. Most information for application is available online, as long as you have access to internet

2. For graduate students in Natural Sciences, the process is similar to that of Social Sciences and Humanities highlighted above. Identify the professor and send a professional email introducing yourself and express your interest in working with them. Don’t send a text message. You should be very clear in expressing your interests. Below is a sample of how the email would look like:

Email Template:

Dear Dr. (last name of professor),

My name is (your first and last name), and I am a (chemistry/biology, etc) graduate at (name of university). I am currently considering (topic of graduate study) graduate programs for (fall/winter/summer semester). My research interests are in line with the research conducted in your lab. More specifically, I have conducted research on (main focus of project) under the advisement of Dr. (name of your professor).

I first became intrigued by your research after (how you first discovered their research, online search?). I am particularly interested in investigating (research topics that relates to the work conducted in the professor’s lab).

I would love to talk more with you regarding (name of university and department)’s program and your lab specifically as a potential avenue for graduate school. Attached is my CV, containing my references. The attached cover letter outlines my research experiences in more detail and potential graduate project ideas.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

3. For undergraduates to Canada, there are also two ways to apply;

· Self guided applications or

· You can use educational consultants such as:

· Uniserve

· Uniserve helps connect students to various universities in Canada and other parts of the world. On their website you have access to all the universities and colleges accepting international students in Canada.

· Here is a link to Uniserve site:

Study in Canada | Uniserv Education

Contact and Location in Kenya

Offices: Fortis Tower, 9th Floor, Woodvale Grove, Westlands, Nairobi

Telephone: 0723 597445

Website: www.uniserveducation.com

· Transworld education Consultants- This is among the best rated international students recruitment agencies in Kenya.

Contact and location

Offices: 9th Floor, Hazina Towers, PSC Centre, Nairobi

Telephone: 0720927977

Website: http://www.transworld-edu.com/web

· Koala (Mostly Australia)

KOALA EDUCATION CONSULTANTS LIMITED - Educational Consultant in Nairobi (uniagents.com).

The challenge is in identifying which agency is legit as there are scammers. Be careful, and ensure to have some research before working with an agent.

Link to applying for a study permit in Canada:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/information/applications/student.asp

Some most popular colleges admitting international students:

· Douglas College in British Columbia

· Lethbridge College in Alberta,

· For a list of colleges and universities refer to the link in section 1.

For kenyan trained Nurses, Check Omni College, BC. It offers bridging programs if you have a background in Nursing.

· Omni College - https://www.omnicollege.com/

· Canadian Nursing Review for International Students | OMNI College

4. Other ways of coming to Canada besides education

· As a professional athlete

· Application to come for an international conference