The role of universities in enhancing democratic accountability, public engagement and participation

Abstract

Universities are globally respected institutions in the world as they play critical role of democratization and development in institutions, communities and societies. Although very rare in Kenyan, the goal of universities should be to enhance democratic accountability, public engagements and participation with a view to cultivate strong sense of citizenship. In order to achieve such strong sense of belonginess for the nation, the universities should have conducive environment that nurture dialogue, consultation, participation and association so that it brings out a fairly stable and all-inclusive progressive knowledge-based community. This is what I call democratic minded academicians, who cannot be influenced by clan, wealth, culture, gender, and other social factors. Therefore, democratic minded academicians can be a powerful instruments that help inspire social change in institutions, communities and societies. Academia should play pivotal in educating students, academicians and others to become champion of democratic accountability, public engagements, and patriotism, thus making them peace-loving and obedient citizens with national value orientations. With existence of value-oriented learners, mentors and leaders, the country can advance in democratic accountability, public engagements and social justice. Because academia has neglected their fundamental roles and responsibilities, politicians have taken advantage to have bad governance field-days in form of perpetuated hunger, ethnicity, conflicts, poverty, and corruption. Looking at communities surrounding established universities environment, there is little to show in terms of their effects, contribution and appreciation by institutions, and communities due to many physical, psychological and other invisible barriers between the communities and universities. Such barriers need to be identified and removed. It may be the same reasons why Kenyan universities are churning out half-baked graduates who are incapable of solving issues in society. Universities will only be appreciated if they play roles in addressing social, economic and political difficulties faced by communities and others. The purpose of this paper is to urge Kenya universities to play pivotal in educating students, academicians and others to become champion of democratic accountability, public engagements, and patriotism, thus making them peace-loving and obedient citizens with national value orientations.