By Evelyne Kioko
The DUSA government 2021/2022 budget has been suspended effective immediately, following a meeting between student leaders and the University’s management on November 8.
The DUSA budget was declared unconstitutional for having no approval from the Congress and lacking the speaker’s signature.
“This is to let you know that the DUSA budget has been suspended after a fruitful meeting involving the congress and the Daystar University Management Board,” reads an email from the DUSA clerk Eunice Siameto.
The Dean of Students Reverend Mutinda Musyimi acknowledged the decision stating that it was the right thing to do although it comes a little late because the budget in place had already been used. “This means going back to the drawing board. It means that the DUSA council should not draw a budget and start actioning on it without it passing through the congress,” says the Dean.
Congress Speaker Noel Shimba says he is shocked to find out that a budget, which did not include the congress benefits, had been drawn by the DUSA Council and had been approved without his signature. There has been a push and pull between the congress and the management for a while concerning the submitted proposals of their benefits, with the two having had several meetings that culminated in today’s verdict.
“The DUSA budget should be one and it is supposed to be one and cover the two bodies. The budget drawn by DUSA lacked the Congress activities and benefits. However, the budget was still approved even with it lacking the speaker’s signature and was not approved by the congress,” states Shimba.
The congress speaker further assured that a new budget whose drafting will involve all constitutional procedures shall be put in place by the end of the week. “It was only right to suspend it until we draft another budget this week. The management has agreed the budget is null and void since it did not follow the right channels. The budget requires the president’s, treasurer’s and speaker’s signature for it to be released.”
The Secretary-General Caleb Paul alais refuted claims of the budget suspension claiming that Congress leaders are being led by their personal interests.
“The Congress are suspending the budget because they want a benefit that they feel they school is not giving them : a benefit that they wish to have…that’s not fair that is an injury to comrades and as a council we are not going to accept that and we are not going to move backwards,” commented Msando.
According to the speaker, this means that all events remained on hold until the issue is resolved.