Daystar University has changed its learning system to a problem-based and collaborative learning approach, beginning with the first and second years this January 2021 semester. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred approach in which students learn about a subject by working in groups to solve an open-ended problem.
Speaking during the Parents’ Welcome on Monday’s orientation, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Laban Ayiro, called for students to “enhance the intellectual rigour of the university”. “We have decided in management, and we are taking this to the senate, that we are overhauling the way we teach completely,” said Prof Ayiro. The VC argued that the University cannot continue teaching students the same way it did thirty years ago. He added that the goal is to make students “have the ability to learn and relearn constantly.”
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Laban Ayiro, during his presentation at the Parent’s Welcome. Photo courtesy of Moses Wafula.
Problem-based learning includes self-directed learning strategies and team participation that will allow students to be more active in learning processes. Students will engage in collaborative learning and turn out to be more skilled, competent and have a competitive edge.
“This is an ideal Ayiro is prepared to die for,” said the VC. “It must happen. If there’s something I’m going to leave behind in Daystar, is that we are going to produce students who are problem solvers.”
In the new learning approach, students will be able to acquire 70% of their grade during the semester and therefore, the tension of final examinations will no longer exist. Prof Ayiro, who was a former Vice-Chancellor in Moi University, acknowledged that Problem-based learning was adopted in its school of Medicine, which saw their doctors stand out today.
The VC added that Daystar will no longer be a passive institution whereby students come for lectures, write notes and go. Rather, they will be engaged with their faculties in case studies, debates, discussions and models. Students will also pursue solutions to authentic problems by asking and refining questions.
Parents, staff and freshmen observing social distancing during the Welcome. Photo courtesy of Moses Wafula.
“I want my students to debate ideas, to make predictions, to design plans and experiments, to collect and analyze data, to draw conclusions, to communicate ideas and findings, and ask questions, and above all create products,” said the VC.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved by the UK medicines regulator, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). This makes it the second vaccine to be approved in the UK after Pfizer.
The approval by the body of the came after weeks of examining trial data by experts and it was concluded that the vaccine met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. The vaccination programme will start on Monday and will aim to reach millions of people in at-risk categories as quickly as possible.
The new variant of the virus causing high rates of infection has made vaccination much more urgent. The government’s joint committee on vaccination and immunization (JCVI) has advised that priority should be to give as many at-risk groups their first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine, other than providing two doses in four weeks.
AstraZeneca PLC company. Photo courtesy of EPA.
“Everyone will still receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for long term protection,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
AstraZeneca said its vaccine would be made available to some of the poorest regions of the world at low cost and not being manufactured for profit. CEO of the company, Pascal Soriot, said AstraZeneca could provide the UK with up to 2 million doses a week and would start shipping the first doses “today or tomorrow”.
“The good news with this is we are going to be able to inject a lot of people with one dose very quickly, provide them with a reasonably good dose of protection until they get their second dose two to three months later. That will enable us to protect more people because we can wait two to three months for the second dose,” added Soriot.
Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca CEO. Photo courtesy of EPA.
The UK has ordered 100m doses of the vaccine and eventually, all adults will be offered, according to Matt Hancock, the UK health secretary. “Because we’ve got enough of this vaccine on order to vaccine the whole population – we’ve got 100m doses on order- add that to the 30m doses of Pfizer and that’s enough for two doses for the entire population,” he said in an interview on BBC Breakfast. “So I can now say with confidence that we can vaccinate everyone except of course for children because this vaccine has not been trialled on children and anyway children are much less likely to have symptoms from the disease,” he added.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, celebrated the news as “truly fantastic news and a triumph for British science”. “We will now move to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible.” he tweeted.
On Tuesday, leading telecommunication company, Safaricom, announced new MPESA charges that are 45% reduced, effective January 1, 2021.
“As guided by the Central Bank of Kenya and taking into account the Principles on the pricing of mobile money services, we have taken the decision to reduce our MPESA tariffs by up to 45% for lower value transaction bands,” the company said in a notice.
The company says that the reductions will affect more than 90% of customer transactions when sending money.
It will cost Ksh.6 to send Ksh.101-500, down from Ksh.11, and cost Ksh.22 down from Ksh.41 to send Ksh.1501- 2500.
All transactions of Ksh.100 and below remain free.
Moreover, customers will continue to enjoy free transactions between MPESA and bank accounts.
Safaricom says this is in consideration of the expiry of COVID reliefs of free MPESA transactions. The company had previously announced the expiry to take place beginning next year.
They have also maintained the Ksh.300,000 limit of amount to transact in a day, which was introduced as part of the COVID reliefs.
According to Chief Executive Officer, Peter Ndegwa, the price cuts are permanent and will enable more than 2.6 million users to enjoy lower costs when sending money.
“Our new, reduced tariffs will equally apply to transactions for micro-Businesses under our new Pochi La Biashara service, and for Lipa Na M-PESA businesses using the Transacting Till to make payments,” he added.
Safaricom CEO, Peter Ndegwa. Photo courtesy of The Star.
The company is betting on volumes to cover for the low fees after the waiver of charges which cost them Ksh.9 billion in the six months to June. This saw the firm report a 6% drop in net profit to Ksh.33.07 billion, the first drop in nine years.
The reliefs on mobile money payments were introduced on March 16, 2020, to encourage cashless transactions and control the spread of coronavirus.
Nairobi County Assembly Speaker, Benson Mutura, has been sworn-in as the county’s acting Governor by Judge Jairus Ngaah at City Hall, Nairobi.
Mutura said that his first order of business would be to bring back on track the delivery of crucial services that have been stalled due to lack of funds. This was occasioned by the failure of former governor Sonko to assent to the finance Bill.
“When Nairobians went to the polls in 2017, what they expected is service delivery. We therefore have no choice but to deliver. Today would have never occurred had we focused on service delivery,” said Mutura.
Owing to this, Mutura signed the Governor’s warrant that gives the Treasury the green light to release money to the county. The governor’s warrant is a document that authorizes withdrawal of funds from the County Revenue Funds (CRF).
Mike Sonko had refused to sign the warrant, thereby paralyzing operations in the county since October.
By Mutura signing the warrant, this means that once the money has been released from the CRF, county and assembly staff will be paid their salaries.
Mutura will be assuming the role of governor in an acting capacity for 60 days, following Sonko’s impeachment on Thursday.
He was to be sworn in last week but the event was postponed after the presiding judge failed to show up on time.
Given that Nairobi County currently has no deputy governor, the speaker will serve for the next two months, as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) sets a date for a by-election.
Residents of Nairobi will then go back to the polls to elect a new governor who will serve the remainder of the term that ends in 2022.
Nairobi Deputy Governor Polycarp Iagthe resigned in January 2018, citing Sonko’s lack of confidence in him.
Mutura said he will work with all Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), despite the recent impeachment having left the members divided.
“My assumption to the office of the Governor is temporary and is meant to guide transition to the next government. I want to assure you that in the 60 days, I will be at the helm of this County, I will provide the required leadership to ensure smooth transition,” he said.
Mutura signs the Governor’s warrant immediately after his inauguration. Photo courtesy of Capital FM
Sonko was impeached by the county assembly over charge of abuse of office, a gross violation of the law, committing a crime under the national and international laws and lacking the capability to run the county.
Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka gazetted Sonko’s impeachment in less than an hour of his removal.
“On Thursday, December 17, 2020, the Senate resolved to remove Hon. Mike Mbuvi Sonko, the Governor of Nairobi City County, from office by impeachment,” read a gazette notice signed by the speaker.
According to the Constitution of Kenya, Article 182, Clause (4) says if a vacancy occurs in the office of county governor, and that of the deputy, or if the deputy is unable to act, the speaker of the county assembly shall act as county governor.
“If a vacancy occurs in the circumstances contemplated by Clause (4), an election to the office of county governor shall be held within sixty days after the speaker assumes the office of the governor.”
“A person who assumes the office of county governor under this Article shall, unless otherwise removed from office under this Constitution, hold office until the newly elected county governor assumes office following the next election under Article 180 (1).”
Director- General of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), major-General Mohamed Badi and a few elected Nairobi leaders were present during Mutura’s inauguration.
AFRICA’S LEADING WOMEN SERIES: African women who’ve served/are serving their countries in the capacities of: President, Prime minister and/or Vice President.
Know them, appreciate them and remember them.
#THEAFRICANLEADINGWOMENSERIES
Initiated by Nyokabi Ng’ang’a, for The Involvement Newspaper.
PART 8(Final Part of the Series)
By: Nyokabi Ng’ang’a (Leshnyokabi@gmail.com)
Thumbnail photo created by Nyokabi Ng’ang’a
Mame Madior Boye: Senegal’s 1st female Prime Minister.
Photo courtesy of alchetron.com
Mame Madior Boye was born in 1940 in Saint-Louis, Senegal.
A lawyer by profession, she gained an education on her area of expertise from the Faculty of Legal and Economic Sciences in Dakar and the National Center for Judicial Studies in Paris. This paved her way, to become the first female President of the Association of Senegalese Lawyers from 1975-1990.
Later in the year 1990, she took the position of Director of Engagements at the West Africa Banking Company, serving the organization till the year 2000.
After Abdoulaye Wade was elected President of Senegal in 2000, she was appointed Minister of Justice and a year later, following the dismissal by President Wade, Prime Minister Moustapha Niasse resigned and Mame Madior was then appointed the new Premier by the President. This appointment was the first in the country’s history in female occupancy.
However, in 2002, Mame Madior was dismissed as Premier by President Wade, reportedly due to ‘the lack of enough response’ on the Joola maritime tragedy- often referred to as a sea disaster ‘worse than titanic’- that caused the deaths of thousands.
Luck seemingly on her side, she was appointed African Union’s Special Representative for the promotion of the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, two years later, by Mali’s 4th President and then, Chairperson of the African Union Commission- Alpha Oumar Konaré. However, with changing tides, a judge in France issued an arrest warrant on her, alongside other 8 persons, in 2008, in connection to the Joola disaster. Though this didn’t happen, as the Senegalese government casted off the Judge’s arrest warrant issue and instead, prosecuted the judge in mention.
Dr. Aminata Touré: Senegal’s 2nd female Prime Minister.
Photo courtesy of leaders-afrique.com
Dr. Aminata Touré was born in 1962 in her country, Senegal.
A PhD holder in International Business, Administration and Finance from the University of Burgundy, France; her areas of expertise, as publicly recorded, revolve around: Economics, Administration/Governance and Gender Affairs.
Before being appointed Prime Minister by President Macky Sall in 2013, she worked at the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and of note, as the Director of Gender and Human Rights World Department at the UN subsidiary, in New York, from 2009-2012. Shortly after, she was appointed Minister of Justice by President Sall, where she served for a year or so. As Minister of Justice, she was credited for her anti-corruption campaigns, which saw the arrest of prominent people in Senegal and made her gain the title: ‘The Iron Lady’.
In 2013, as earlier registered, she was appointed Premier and served her country at large, for nearly a year, before her dismissal authorized by President Sall on July 2014, after she failed to win local elections in Dakar.
Nonetheless, she continued working under President Sall’s administration, as his Special Envoy for Internal and External Affairs and on his election observatory team/mission; which missioned in various African countries, to mention: Kenya, Mauritius, Ivory Coast and Liberia.
Joice Mujuru: Zimbabwe’s 1st female Vice President.
Photo courtesy of alchetron.com
Joice Runaida Mujuru was born in the year 1958, in her country, Zimbabwe.
She is a renowned guerrilla war veteran who fought against Ian Smith’s white Rhodesian minority government, alongside other notable persons of/in Zimbabwe’s history.
With a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Management and Entrepreneurial Studies, all gotten from one of her Country’s Universities, she set out to be, as registered, the youngest cabinet minister in post-colonial government, heading the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Recreation, from 1980-1985. Prior to this, it’s noted, she was a Member of Parliament for Mt. Darwin West Parliamentary Seat.
In 1985, she was appointed Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, where she served for five years, and close afterward, chosen as Minister of Community Development, Co-operatives and Women’s Affairs, where she served for four years.
From 1992 to 1996, she became Governor of Mashonaland Central (a province in Zimbabwe) and later, she was appointed Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications. In this post, she served Zimbabwe for a year and later took the post of Minister for Rural resources and Water Development in 1997-2004.
After the passing of Vice President Simon Muzenda in 2004, the Women’s league of the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) – the country’s leading political party in which the late President Mugabe belonged to-, convened a meeting and pushed forth for the appointment of a woman, Joice Mujuru to this regard, as the new Vice President.
This move, however constrained, was accepted and implemented by the late President Mugabe, causing Joice Mujuru to be the first woman to head such a position in the country’s history. Ten years down the line, however, following plotting suspicions and claims, President Mugabe ousted Ma’am Joice from power. This also resulted to her membership-loss in the ZANU-PF party.
To learn more about Ma’am Joice Mujuru, click here.
Inonge Mutukwa Wina: Zambia’s 1st female Vice President.
Photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
Inonge Mutukwa was born in 1941 in her country, Zambia.
A holder of a B.A degree in History and Sociology from the University of Zambia- as her career’s starter- she has featured in many NGO boards and portfolio committees of her government.
In 2001, Ma’am Inonge Wina contested for the Nalolo Constituency Parliamentary seat under the United Party for National Development (UNDP), which to her credit and to that of her then party, she won. Serving in this post for close to six years, she re-contested under the United Liberal Party- a splinter of the UNDP-, and sadly, lost.
Five years later, in 2011, she contested once more and won, but, under the country’s ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Party ticket. In the same year, purportedly, she was appointed by the late President Michael Sata, as the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, where she served her country in that post for 3 years, and later in 2014, appointed Minister of Gender and Child Development.
In the year 2015, following the win of President Edgar Lungu, she was appointed the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, making her the first woman to occupy such a position in her country. However, resignation calls from her post, as of this year, are high following the claims of her old age and COVID-19 contraction.
To learn more about Ma’am Inonge Wina, a Zambian revered human rights activist, click here.
Others who deservingly need a mention for leading their countries, though tentatively, in the aforementioned positions are:
Ivy Matsepe- Casaburri of South Africa, who led her country as acting President twice. One, in 2005, when both the President and Vice President were out of the country, and two, when President Thabo Mbeki resigned and close afterward, Kgalema Motlanthe assumed Presidency. She held these two similar roles for four days and 14 hours, respectively.
Thokozani Khupe of Zimbabwe, who led her country as Deputy Premier in the year 2009 to the year 2013.
Queen Gwamile of the Kingdom of eSwatini, who led her country (Kingdom) as its regent before King Sobhuza the Second, King Mswati the third’s father, become of age and fit to lead the Kingdom as its heir.
Queen Dzeliwe of the Kingdom of eSwatini, who led her country (Kingdom), as well, on behalf of King Mswati the third, who was then young and unfit to occupy the role of King.
If there is anyone who isn’t captured in this series and deservingly needs a mention, feel free to write to us or post their name on the comment box.
Political activist cum lawyer Miguna Miguna on Saturday, December 19 expressed his interest in the Nairobi gubernatorial seat following the impeachment of Governor Mike Sonko.
The exiled author who had vied for the same seat in 2017 on an independent ticket stated via twitter that the decision comes after receiving legal advice from constitutional lawyer Waikwa Wanyoike.
“Having received competent legal advice…I Miguna Miguna, a Kenyan citizen by birth and registered voter in Nairobi, hereby declare my candidature for the position of Governor of Nairobi in the upcoming by-election,” he declared.
The fiery lawyer had on Friday taken to his twitter account to criticize the ousted governor, claiming that the latter had been imposed on Nairobians by President Uhuru Kenyatta, as he quoted his statements from the 2017 gubernatorial debate.
“My friend Sonko is looting every land in Nairobi. He has a criminal record from Mombasa where he was jailed because of fraud, forgery and drug dealing,” claimed Miguna during the debate held at Daystar University.
Sonko’s Impeachment
Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko. Photo courtesy of the-star.co.ke
The seat fell vacant after the ouster of former Governor Mike Sonko by the senate on December 17, on accounts of gross violation of the constitution or any other law, abuse of office, gross misconduct and crimes under national law.
Nairobi county assembly speaker, Benson Mutura, takes over as interim governor given the absence of a deputy governor since the resignation of Polycarp Igathe in January, 2018. According to Article 182(4) of the constitution, the speaker of the county assembly shall act as county governor with an election to the office of county governor being held within sixty days after the speaker assumes the office of county governor.
The speaker’s swearing-in ceremony that had been scheduled for Friday 18 had to be postponed following the late arrival of the judge assigned to preside over the ceremony.
Reactions Following Announcement
Kenyans have taken to twitter to react to offer their thoughts, with most of their sentiments directed towards the self-proclaimed general of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Notable was blogger Robert Alai’s remarks which warned Nairobians against voting for the ‘general’.
“Replacing Sonko with Miguna is like replacing Wahome of Helicopter with Kanyari. Mad men! Zero work!” stated Alai.
Daystar University will continue administering classes online, as a few physical classes will be taking place in the campuses come January 2021.
In an email sent to the school on Monday, only nursing students, science students and those admitted during the October 2020 physical semester will start face to face learning in January 2021.
Other courses, according to the email, are to continue with online learning.
“Save for the programs outlined above, all other undergraduate, certificate and Diploma students will remain online,” read the email.
All continuing postgraduate students taking PGDE, Master’s and PhD programmes, as well as new postgraduate students from October 2020 and January 2021, will study online as well.
Students to start physical classes in January include; all nursing students admitted in 2020 and January 2021, all undergraduate students admitted to the October 2020 physical semester, all law students admitted in August 2020 and January 2021, will have physical classes at the Athi River Campus.
Photo courtesy of Laguma
For continuing students, all nursing students admitted in 2018 and 2019 will continue with their clinical placements. All Upgrade Nursing students admitted in 2020 and 2021, will have physical theory classes at the Nairobi campus.
All students taking Biomedical Science, Environmental Heath, Actuarial Science, Applied Computer Science and Bachelor of Education Science (B.Ed Science), will have physical classes at the Athi River campus.
The 15% fee discount previously offered for online classes has been discontinued due to the government suspension of all tax waivers.
Physical orientation for new students is set to begin on January 4, 2021.
The University Portal will be opened for registration of courses on January 4, 2021 once the timetable has been released. Both physical and online classes will begin on January 11, 2021.
The Food and drug Administration (FDA) authorized the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna, which joins the Pfizer-BioNTech as the second vaccine available for use in the US.
The announcement on Friday came a day after a committee of outside experts endorsed the use of the Moderna vaccine across the US, saying the benefits outweigh the risks.
“With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, in a press release.
Moderna experiemental COVID-19 vaccine. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The vaccine which was 94% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 in clinical trials can now be given to adults 18 years and older. Data presented by Moderna also hints that the vaccine could prevent asymptomatic infection as well.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine will be available under Emergency Use Authorization, a designation that lets the FDA sign off on products faster than the normal review process during an emergency like a pandemic.
The Moderna vaccine can be easily stored compared to the Pfizer vaccine, which requires to be kept at ultra-cold temperatures.
Moderna can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, making it easier to distribute to places without the infrastructure to maintain extremely low temperatures.
“We remain focused on scaling up manufacturing to help us protect as many people as we can from this terrible disease,” Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna said in a press release.
The United States ordered 200 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, enough to vaccinate 100 million people.
Patient receiving a dose of the Moderna vaccine. Photo courtesy of the New York Times.
The first doses will be given to health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities within days.
Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin during the weekend, according to operation Warp Speed, the US government’s vaccine development program. The first Moderna vaccines are expected to be administered on Monday.
Moderna has said it plans to deliver approximately 20 million doses to the US government this year, and will provide the 200 million doses by end of June 2021.
AFRICA’S LEADING WOMEN SERIES: African women who’ve served/are serving their countries in the capacities of: President, Prime minister and/or Vice President.
Know them, appreciate them and remember them.
#THEAFRICANLEADINGWOMENSERIES
Initiated by Nyokabi Ng’ang’a, for The Involvement Newspaper.
PART 7
By: Nyokabi Ng’ang’a (Leshnyokabi@gmail.com)
Thumbnail photo created by Nyokabi Ng’ang’a
Maria das Neves: São Tomé and Príncipe’s 1st female Prime Minister.
Photo courtesy of alchetron.com
Maria das Neves was born in her country, São Tomé and Príncipe, in the year 1958.
An economist graduate from Cuba, she worked as a civil servant in her country’s Ministry of Finance and later at the World Bank and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
In the year 1999, she was appointed Minister of Economics, where she served her country till the year 2001 and later on, in the same year, as Minister of Finance where it’s believed her service lasted a year. In the year 2002, she then took the role of Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism.
Under President Fradique de Menezes’ rule, which took course in the year 2001, she was elected Prime Minister in the year 2002 with the mandate of heading the government. Following the economic and power struggles within the country, there was a military coup in the year 2003 and with the absence of the President who was not in the country, Ma’am Maria das Neves, alongside other governmental officials, were arrested on the claims that the government was corrupt. Due to this occurrence, as believed, she was hospitalized after suffering a mild heart attack, causing her to resign from her role as Prime Minister.
Her resignation came after Fradique de Menezes was reinstated as President, following an internationally- pushed agreement between him and the coup leaders.
However, as a result of President Fradique’s insistence, she took up the Prime Minister’s role, once more, serving her country till the year 2004, after which, she was dismissed by the former as Premier, on the claims of corruption linkages to her governance.
To learn more of this lady pace-setter, click here.
Maria do Carmo Silveira: São Tomé and Príncipe’s 2nd female Prime Minister.
photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
Maria do Carmo Silveira, was born in the year 1960, in her country São Tomé and Príncipe.
Educated at the University of Ukraine as an economist, she featured twice as the 3rd and 6th governor of São Tomé and Príncipe’s central bank. This, to mention, was in the years: 1999-2005 and 2011-2016.
In the year 2005, she was appointed Prime Minister of her country by President Fradique de Menezes. She served in this capacity; concurrently also as Minister of Finance and Planning, for close to an year, with her term halting in April the 21st in the year 2006, after a parliamentary election saw her party defeated by the opposition.
With no substantial information found on her life before Premiership, click here to have a look at her profile.
Isatou Njie-Saidy: The Gambia’s 1st female Vice President.
Photo courtesy of enacademic.com
Isatou Njie-Saidy was born in Kuntaya, North Bank, Gambia in the year 1952.
She served as her country’s first female Vice President from the year 1997 to the year 2017. This she did alongside her ministerial role in women affairs. It is believed that she is the world’s longest serving Vice President, having served her country for 10 solid years.
A holder of a Master of Science in economics from the University of Swansea, Wales, UK; her zones of expertise as featured in her areas of studies, to mention, in broad are: Industrial management, Economics and Teaching.
In the year 1983, she took up the role of Deputy Executive Secretary of the women’s bureau- the executive decision making body of the National Women’s Council of Gambia. She served in this capacity till the year 1989.
Later, in 1996, under President Yahya Jammeh’s rule, she was appointed Minister of Health, Social Welfare and Women’s affairs and worked in this capacity for a year, before being appointed Vice President, the first female for that matter, of the Gambia.
It’s reported that in 2015, there were established constraints between her and President Jammeh, resulting to her resignation in 2017.
To learn more of this deeply revered woman of the Gambia, click here.
Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang: The Gambia’s 2nd female Vice President.
Photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
Fatoumata Jallow was Gambia’s former Vice President who served under President Adama Barrow, for nearly a year.
Born in 1949 in Brikima, Gambia, she was educated in her country alongside Senegal and France. It’s reported that her early University education saw her get a BA in French from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France.
Prior to her selection as the Secretary of State (Minister) for Health and Social Welfare in 1994, she served as an adviser to President Dawda Jawara- Gambia’s first President who was later ousted.
Afterwards, she joined the United Nations where she worked as a gender expert in the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It’s also featured that she worked as the chairwoman of the Gambia National Women’s council.
Fast-forward to 2016, courtesy of her political routings, she with notable others, formed the coalition 2016- an amalgamation of opposing political parties- that steered the exit of Yahya Jammeh as Gambia’s president. To her credit, she was regarded as the mastermind behind this plan, and for the worth note, she sat as the coalition’s chairperson.
After Yahya Jammeh took to exile in Equatorial Guinea, Adama Barrow who was appointed presidential candidate of the coalition, was instated as President in the year 2017- following his win of the 2016 elections- and on his inauguration, he appointed Ma’am Fatoumata as his Vice-president. However, after being appointed, concerns were raised about her age as an impediment to taking office. Nonetheless, her appointment was confirmed by President Adama Barrow and she served her country in this position of the Vice-President till June 2018. Of other importance, she also served concurrently as the Minister of Women Affairs while overseeing the Vice President’s office.
To learn more of this New African Woman who scooped the 2017 New African Woman of the Year Award by the New African Magazine, click here.
Dr. Isatou Toray: The Gambia’s current and 3rd female Vice President.
Photo courtesy of vanguardafrica.com
Isatou Touray was born in 1955, in her country, The Gambia. She grew up in Banjul, Gambia’s capital, and attended her primary, secondary and start-up tertiary schooling within her country. Later on, after graduating as a teacher of English and Home Economics from The Gambia College, in 1971, she became a teacher and then ventured into the field of community development, afterwards, with a special focus on women and development.
A PhD holder in Development Studies- with a special emphasis on Gender- from the University of Sussex, UK, Ma’am Isatou Toray’s field of studies are wide and heavily routed within her areas of passions. To mention, she holds a degree in Education and English from Usman Dan Fodio University in Sokoto, Nigeria and a Master’s Degree in Development Studies with specialization in women and development, from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague, The Netherlands.
Known widely in her country and substantially in Africa, for being a staunch feminist and a gender and human rights activist, she has featured in many organizations and boards; worth recognizing being: the Inter-African Committee (IAC) – a formed Pan-African Network of over twenty eight African countries aimed at Eliminating Harmful Traditional Practices– where she served as the network’s secretary general from the year 2009-2014. To this regard, she also cofounded The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP) and introduced a Diploma in Gender and Development program and founded the Gender Unit of the Management Development Institute, of which all are situated and running in her country.
Just for the good mention, she is recognized and credited as both an international and national advocate for the end of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia, and largely, in Africa.
In the year 2016, infuriated with President Yahya Jammeh’s exceeding twenty years hard-fisted rule, she alongside others, contested for the Presidential seat. She did so as an independent candidate and notably, as the only woman in Gambia’s history. However, she stepped down to back Adama Barrow as President and to support the Coalition 2016. When Adama Barrow became President, she sat in his cabinet as the Trade Minister and later on, as the Health Minister. In 2019, following a major cabinet reshuffle, she was appointed the Vice President of the Gambia by President Adama, succeeding her predecessor, Ousainou Darboe.
To learn more of the life story of this deeply revered African- Gambian lady, click here.
Will your country be the next?
Kindly schedule to read the subsequent article of this series, next week.
Bring them who haven’t lost their voices amid the noises of our cities Bring them who still maintained dignity after the war passed Bring them who had no name but acquired one on their exit Bring them who still chose their names after their nations broke Bring them who didn’t forget where they came and where they belonged Bring them who still have a remembrance of the peaceful nights and the deserted days Bring them who could smell the roses and distinguish them from the lilies Bring them who could differentiate spices of the known fields Bring them who knew and maintained a love Bring them who forgot hate and kept hope alive Bring them whose feet are tired from walking the mileage Bring them who know masala tea and serve it from their genial hearts Bring them whose dances were not watered away as the rains fell Bring them whose smiles light our hearts.
Bring them who lost their voices amid the noises of our cities Bring them who broke away from their dignified lives as our war spread Bring them who had names as they became entrants Bring them who forgot their names after their nations broke Bring them who forgot where they came from and where they belonged Bring them who forgot the peaceful nights and the deserted days Bring them who cannot distinguish the scent of roses from lilies Bring them who can’t differentiate spices of the known fields Bring them who forgot and didn’t maintain love Bring them who remembered hate and kept anxiety alive Bring them whose feet are still wandering as they mile away Bring them who forgot to serve masala tea from their genial hearts Bring them whose dances were watered away as the rains fell Bring them whose frowns remind our hearts…
