KENYA: After Several Knocks, Kenya Awards University Charter to Tangaza College
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
At a ceremony to celebrate the charter award for Tangaza University (TU), the Kenya-based institution of higher learning, Prelate reminded faculty members of their crucial role in forming students who will positively impact society.
In his homily during the Thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration on Thursday, May 2, Bishop George Muthaka of Kenya’s Garissa Diocese amidst an overwhelming sense of joy expressed, “After several knocks in search of this charter, today we have a reason to say thank you to God.”
He expounded, “This has been a long journey. As a University we have knocked on many government offices, so many people and committees have worked hard towards this same charter, and others have even died without seeing this day, for sure it is the Lord who has made this possible.”
Bishop Muthaka, a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM. Cap), reminded faculty members of the newly chartered University jointly owned by some 22 Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL), that Tangaza is no longer a baby but needs to realize they have grown and must behave as adults.
“You are expected to behave as adults. You have been hiding under CUEA (The Catholic University of Eastern Africa) and blaming them for everything. Now you have no one to blame but to pull up your socks,” the Prelate who is also a member of the Tangaza council shared in his homily.
He stressed that the university must be cognizant of its identity as a Catholic Institution to form students who will impact society positively.
Giving reference to the message shared by the late Pope John Paul II (Saint) to a group of Catholic educators on what is expected of a Catholic Institution Bishop Muthaka said, “In order that the Catholic school and the Catholic teachers may truly make their irreplaceable contribution to the Church and the world, the goal of Catholic education itself must be crystal clear. Beloved sons and daughters of the Catholic Church, brothers and sisters in the faith: Catholic education is above all a question of communicating Christ, of helping to form Christ in the lives of others.”
He added further referring to the Vatican II document that “A Catholic institution has to prepare students for a dual citizenship, the heavenly city, and the earthly city.”
The Bishop emphasized that “Tangaza” which is a Swahili word loosely translated as “announce or communicate” is a beautiful name for the University that should help the Institution fulfil its meaning by communicating Christ to students and prepare them for dual citizenship.
The Local Ordinary of Garissa also underscored the essence of forming good future leaders who are reasonable and not just followers saying, “Be serious about forming leaders, not just followers who will ape what is happening elsewhere. Train your students to analyze what is legitimate and valuable. Besides, every student should be taught how to understand logic.”
“Research has been done and it has been proven that all these institutions (in Kenya) are not forming leaders but are forming followers; we have become a society of followers,” Bishop Muthaka an alumnus of TU disclosed and warned the faculty members, “Let’s stop copying other learning institutions and just focus on forming leaders according to what is required of us.”
The newly chartered University was established in 1986 as Theological Centre of Religious to form members of ICLSAL for ministry in the Church and society in Africa and was formally inaugurated on 30 October 1987 by the then Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga.
