USIU-Africa Alumni Association Holds Annual General Meeting

The incoming and outgoing Alumni Association Executive Committee during the AGM. The election of new Executive Members was a historic one, seeing 6 out of the 8 positions being taken by ladies.

By Diana Meso and Kevin Mudavadi

The much awaited USIU-Africa Alumni Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held at the Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday, February 27, to present the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Associations financial reports and winners of the newly elected officials.

The elections were conducted between February 20 and 23, through an online system, Lime Survey, where participants were sent a link and a special code to vote. This provided the members located outside the country with an opportunity to vote. The system, once used in the US elections and currently by the Australian government provided voters with an opportunity to vote at a place convenient to them.

Out of the total eligible voters and paid up members of the Association, 42 percent full responses were received and considered as full votes. The election results were formally presented by the Nominations Committee and ratified at the AGM.

Below is a list of new officials:

1. Chairperson - James Jason Cutha Gathere, IBA (2007)

2. Vice Chairperson – Major (Rtd) Lucy Wairimu Mukuria, Psychology (2004)

3. Treasurer – Caroline Muhonja Mugadi, MBA (2019)

4. Secretary – Evelyne Njiri, GEMBA (2015)

5. Chairperson, Fundraising Committee – Gladys M. Vundi, MOD (2019)

6. Chairperson, PR Committee – Ann T. Mbaru, MBA (2018)

7. Chairperson, Membership Committee – Daphne Wanja Maina, IBA (2008)

8. Chairperson, Academic Committee – Joseph Ndung’u Gathu, MA (2014)

This election that saw ladies outweigh males, was historic in a number of ways: it was the first ever to be conducted under the Association’s new constitution (adopted in 2017), it was the first to request for nominations, where, an impressive 58 nominations were received, first to be conducted by a Nominations Committee, first to be conducted online, first to be conducted outside the AGM, and recorded the highest voter participation in the history of the Association.

Previous leaders of the Association promised to work hand-in-hand with the new regime to ensure smooth transition. Out-going Chair, Dolly Sagwe, was keen to note that she was impressed with the elections process and the effort to ensure a vibrant Alumni Association. The new officials, notably Daphne Wanja, Chair-Membership Committee, promised to spur members to be active and part of the Association’s operation.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paul Zeleza, also in attendance, took this opportunity to underline the salience of the alumni towards the operations of USIU-Africa. He reminded them that they are ‘the brand ambassadors’ and that they are always welcome to their institution to be part of its growth. The VC in his speech, presented the university’s score card that underlined the healthy financial status of the school and its growth in terms of research and education.

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